


Labors of Love

by lovingmydreams



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Adventure, Emma and Killian are so done for most of this, F/M, Greek gods, Greek mythology isn't for the faint of heart okay!, Mythology - Freeform, Regina is dramatic, Romance, a little stabbing, bit of angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-09-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:01:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 33,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25360531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovingmydreams/pseuds/lovingmydreams
Summary: Emma Swan and Killian Jones are your average millennials trying to get through college when they discover that their best friends and roommates are your not so average millennials, trying to get through a 1000 year-long trial.
Relationships: Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Emma Swan, Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Robin Hood, Prince Charming | David Nolan/Snow White | Mary Margaret Blanchard
Comments: 15
Kudos: 27
Collections: Captain Swan Supernatural Summer 2020





	1. Blissful ignorance

**Author's Note:**

> Manny love and thanks to my artist: Mariakov81  
> And Beta: Jarienn972

# Blissful ignorance

“Killian!” Emma complains halfheartedly as she swats away the hand that is playing with her hair. She is trying to focus on the syllabus in front of her.  
Her last final is scheduled for the next morning and then, it’s over. They’re all done.  
She just needs to focus for another hour and then…  
Killian grabs her by the waist and pulls her on top of him, making her giggle despite herself.  
“Hey,” the handsome, dark haired, blue eyed idiot that is her boyfriend greets with a goofy grin.  
“Hey, yourself,” she replies, unable to be really annoyed at him. He did set up a really romantic study date. Here, on the rooftop of the university library with its view of the park. They’re sitting on a blanket atop the fake grass that covers the rooftop terrace.  
“So, let me get this straight,” she starts, trying very hard to remain serious. “First, you convinced me to take a minor in business, adding to the workload of a major in clinical Psychology -but since you had a point when you said it’ll make me stand out a little. Fine. Then you encouraged me to take those art classes and dragged me into assisting in a few of your professor’s researches as well as the projects my own were offering over the course of my bachelor and master studies. Once again, it should help me stand out. But now that it comes to the final exam –the last piece of the puzzle I need to get selected for the PsyD program –you are sabotaging me?”  
Killian gasps, a scandalized look on his face. “I’d never do anything of the sort!” he exclaims before returning to that stupid boyish grin that makes her walls turn to mush.  
“You aced that revision love,” he murmurs as he strokes her cheek. “Under the least favorable circumstances, I could put you through.”  
She quirks a brow, waiting for him to elaborate.  
“We are on top of a twelve story building, which means there is less oxygen here. We are outside in New York City, the city that never sleeps, so it’s loud. We ate junk food,” he nods to the empty pizza box, “so your thinking is slowed down. There is the lovely scenery, and of course your devastatingly handsome boyfriend who wants your attention.” He lists off, ending in a mischievous grin and a playful tap to her nose.  
“It’s near impossible to concentrate, and yet, you answered every question I threw at you perfectly.  
Calm down luv. After a good night’s rest and a healthy breakfast, you’ll do excellent in a near silent auditorium with nothing interesting to distract you,” he assures her with a kiss.  
“Now, how about I help you relax?” he suggests mischievously as he trails his hands down her sides.  
She giggles and rolls off of him. “You are lucky I love you,” she sighs.  
At this Killian sits up, searching her face. After a moment of studying the serious look in her eyes and nervous smile on her lips he grins like a child on Christmas morning. “I love you too,” he says gently.  
It’s the first time they’ve said it out loud. Killian has never left any doubt about his feelings towards her. He isn’t the type to hide how he feels once he knows what he wants.  
It’s Emma who’s been afraid to say it and Killian understands and respects that. Just like he understands that he shouldn’t make a big deal out of it. (Even if he is going to tell Dave as soon as he gets his best friend alone for a moment.)  
He lets her pull him back to his feet and lays a gentle kiss to her lips. Or that is the plan. But as tends to happen when they have some privacy he lets himself get carried away. Soon they find themselves seated on one of the benches, Emma in his lap, both of them embracing each other as if they can somehow melt together into one being.  
“Killia… Oh, pardon.” The hatch to the rooftop snaps shut and the two lovebirds break apart.  
“I suppose that is our cue,” Emma giggles as she gets off of his lap.  
“Poor Miss French. And after she was so kind to let me use the roof for our study date after hours,” he sighs, feeling a little guilty.  
He’s been tutoring in this library since his first semester. Miss French, the librarian, has become a valuable friend in that time.  
“Belle?” he calls out as they descend the stairs. She is nowhere to be found.  
“We must’ve scared her all the way back to the front desk,” Emma guesses, looking a little flushed as she thinks of the scene the poor librarian must’ve walked in on.  
When Killian meets her eyes though, neither can help but laugh at the situation. They keep bursting out in fits all the way down to the ground floor where they find Belle at her desk as Emma predicted, but she isn’t alone. She’s talking with none other than…  
“Mr. Gold. Fancy meeting you here.” Killian greets politely, though he can’t help but pull his girlfriend closer as they approach the entrepreneur who’d been flirting with the librarian. Killian knows Mr. Gold as his employer, the man who runs the tutoring program and hires Killian on occasion to captain his yacht or his sailboat whenever he takes his son or business associates out on the water.  
Until last year his wife, Milah, would join them. Milah had been attractive for her age, and if Killian was perfectly honest with himself, if he wasn’t irrecoverably in love with Emma he might have been taken in by her interest in him. As it was, he always politely turned her away, although he is pretty sure Gold knows his wife took a shine to his captain before she passed away last summer due to heart failure.  
Killian has no proof, but Gold’s many allusions as to how much he valued loyalty around that time… And just the fact that he always gave off an uncomfortable vibe…  
He shakes it off. He had talked with Graham about his gut feeling and Graham had been so kind as to talk to a friend of his at the local station. Ther had been no doubt about it –Milah’s death was due to natural causes.  
A few months after the funeral, Gold entered the library looking for Killian to make arrangements for a trip that weekend and in doing so he met and subsequently fell for Belle.  
“Killian, how are finals going?” the man asks in his usual, slightly overly-pleasant voice.  
“I’m all done. Emma just has tomorrow’s exam to crush and then we’re all home free.”  
“If we pass them all,” Emma corrects.  
Killian grins down at her. “I am positive, love.” He assures her.  
“If you want, I can ask around about your chances,” Gold suggests.  
Both students wave his offer off. “Thank you, but we’ll suffer in uncertainty with everyone else,” Emma assures him.  
“Well, if you are sure. Regardless, Neal is throwing a party tomorrow night to celebrate the end of the year. I’m sure you’ve heard,” Gold smiles expectantly.  
“We can’t wait,” Emma confirms pleasantly as she looks up to Killian who nods in fake enthusiasm.  
Neal… Well, Neal is a special case. On the one hand, they always got along great, Killian even taught him a bit about sailing and navigation per his request.  
On the other, ever since Neal met Emma, he had a not so secret crush on her.  
He didn’t exactly try to steal her away… but  
“I’m sure he’ll be happy to see you there… Both of you.”  
Gold was of the opinion that what his son wants, he eventually gets.  
“How were his finals?” Emma asks, slightly tightening her embrace around Killian’s waist, making him smile. Nothing can ruin the fact that Emma finally told him she loves him as he loves her.  
“Excellent. I am confident he’ll be able to set up his company during the summer as he planned.”  
Neal has banded together with a few other students for ‘Baelfire’, a company that helps set up, promote, and record events. They got the name from some old Gaelic summer festival.  
“That’s great. When ‘Everlanders’ is up and running, I’ll be sure to give him a call,” Emma offers.  
Killian beams down at her in pride at the reminder of her passion project.  
Emma, Mary Margaret and Dave have been putting their heads together to set up a nonprofit organization for the wellbeing and protection of children in the foster system.  
“I can’t believe it. Just yesterday, you four walked into the library for the first time, and here you are –about to get started on successful careers.”  
Dave is one year clerkship away from passing the bar.  
Emma is hoping for a spot in the PsyD program. He is confident she’ll be accepted. She has everything they could expect from her: outstanding recommendations, experience in research and a unique background. She has already applied for her internship and should find out later this week if she gets her preferred position in the local children’s hospital. If not, one of her professors has already assured her a position in his private practice.  
Mary Margaret is supposed to start teaching in a nearby elementary school next fall. She started her studies a year later than the rest of them, opting to spend that year volunteering and saving up some money while working at Granny’s instead.  
Killian is still awaiting a letter from immigration to know if he has been granted citizenship so he can start as a teaching assistant while he works on his Ph.D. Sure his student visa would allow him to stay until his education is completed, but he wants to stay for the rest of his life, for obvious reasons.  
“Well, you’re not quite rid of us yet,” Killian grins as he presses a kiss to Emma’s head.  
“We better get going, a good night’s rest is the first step for Emma to ace her last final,” Killian informs them.  
“Oh, that reminds me… Killian!” Belle exclaims hurriedly before he can lead Emma out of the building.  
“Yes, Luv?” he asks curiously.  
“How did things end with your student, Robin? Did you get her grade up?” she asks.  
Killian smiles and nods appreciatively. “She’s all set for the summer,” he assures her.  
He is still not sure how Belle pulled it off, but she successfully determined Emma’s ring size for him a few weeks ago. After six years of living together, he is ready to take the next step. And he is positive she is too, especially now that she said those ever-important three words. They’ve talked about their future together on occasion and he wants to give her what she never thought she could have, but always dreamed of, a fairytale ending. She is the one for him. There is no doubt in his mind.  
“Milady,” he offers as he opens the door to the beat-up, yellow bug she loves for some reason.  
“So dramatic,” Emma sighs, but the endeared grin on her face takes away from her mockery.  
Killian is on a cloud. Nothing can ruin this.

“So… Tomorrow is the day?” Mary Margaret sighs as she looks at her life partner.  
David nods and pulls her close as they look at the mirror that came through the mail that day. If Killian or Emma were to lay their eyes on it they’d think it’s just an antique handheld mirror, but their friends are still blissfully unaware of the existence of celestial forces and the magic they wield. For now at least.  
“Should we tell them?” Mary Margaret whispers.  
“Not tonight. But first thing after Emma gets back tomorrow perhaps…” David suggests. “She can’t afford to be distracted tomorrow and we can’t jeopardize her future over this,” he reasons. Mary Margaret nods.  
“Will they ever forgive us?” she wonders.  
“Only time will tell.”


	2. The start to their story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Every romance starts with a meet-cute. Emma and Killian's is no different.

Killian can’t help but grin the whole way back to their apartment.  
He has been in love with Emma Swan from pretty much the day they met, which coincidentally is the day Dave got into a relationship with his current girlfriend.

Six years ago Boston

“David! Need to be rescued from your date yet?” Killian heard Liam in the background, but didn’t pay the conversation much mind.  
Dave, his best friend for the past two years, had joined Killian in his crazy adventure: moving to America to attend the University of New York.  
Liam was a bit disappointed his little brother didn’t follow him into her majesty’s navy, but while he loved sailing, Killian preferred captaining smaller vessels and had little regard for the military in general. So his adventure would be found on the other side of the world. He and David arranged lodging for the summer in Boston, allowing them to save some extra money for when the semester started at the end of summer.  
Tonight the three of them were supposed to go out drinking, even if they weren’t allowed to drink anything fun here, they could still have a fun time. Liam had a week of leave and had come over to spend it with them.  
Dave however had completely forgotten and arranged an evening out with a girl who’d enchanted him within the first week of living here.  
Killian had been a little miffed, but… Looking at the gorgeous blonde he just spotted at the bar, talking to a friend on her cellphone, he found himself understanding the allure of getting to know the locals.  
“Okay, have fun,” Liam finished his conversation and tucked away his phone.  
“Offer to buy her a drink.” It’s not a suggestion.  
“Making captain has made you impossibly more bossy than you already were, you know that?” Killian mutters, mulling it over in his head.  
The blonde looked about his age. She was laughing at something her friend said and then finished the conversation, returning her attention to her drink and letting her eyes wander. Killian considered looking away but then decided against it. Let her see that she had his full and undivided attention.  
He doesn’t see the point in pretending he hasn’t noticed her.  
Her eyes drift over to their booth and lock with his. For a moment, they are the only people in the universe. He sends her a smirk and a wink, acknowledging that she caught him and owning up to the fact that he had been staring. She takes him in and smiles reluctantly. She might not have been planning on catching anyone’s eye tonight. But she had. How could she not? In that red dress, with her hair shining beneath the lights of the dance bar they were sitting in?  
It was still early, the dance floor not open yet. The bar they’d picked tonight offered an ambient place to drink, eat and talk until about eleven, then most of the tables were cleared out and the music turned on. It was now a quarter to eleven. He could spend the next fifteen minutes chatting her up and then the rest of the night monopolizing her on the dance floor. But…  
Another man slid into the seat beside her. Her face lit up in recognition as she greeted him and turned her attention to their conversation. A friend perhaps? Or more? Regardless, he’d missed his chance.  
He sighed and turned back to his brother. He could’ve sworn she looked a little interested too. Would it really be that bad form if he lured her away from her acquaintance?  
“A man unwilling to fight for what he wants…”  
Killian sighed and nodded in agreement. “Deserves what he gets,” he finished the statement.  
It’s been their motto ever since they were taken from their father, a good for nothing drunk. Liam used to take Killian to the local library until the elderly man that worked there really had to close for the night. The librarian was kind enough to make sure they got home and if their father was absent or passed out, he made sure they had dinner before leaving. When they were at the library with him and he had nothing else to do he’d tell them stories of great heroes. He always stressed the importance of fighting for what truly matters to you.  
Liam had turned down the old man’s offer to get them some help several times, not wanting to be separated, but eventually someone else realized the brothers didn’t have a stable or safe home environment and a social worker showed up at their door along with two cops.  
Their father didn’t even try to convince anyone that the boys should stay. He didn’t even pretend to care. He barely even looked at them.  
Killian, five at the time, had cried and begged his father to fight for them. He knew his brother feared they’d be separated and he’d rather be there with Liam than in a mansion without him.  
But Brennan Jones had pretended not to hear his son’s pleas.  
Luckily, they were kept together and adopted by old man Silver. He was a strict old fashioned man who found no problem in telling the boys that their father was locked up and would most likely not see the outside world for a long time. In their minds it was what he deserved.  
Silver home-schooled the boys, partly because he spent a lot of time on the ocean. While they were made to ‘earn their keep’, so to speak, Killian and Liam both took to sailing rather well. The moment he was old enough, Liam signed up for the navy. With Silver passing away that very same year, the boys were now both free to choose their own paths. Killian spent the last two years of his high school education in an actual school. There he met Dave and became fast friends. Dave helped him discover a love for academics, history and foreign languages in particular.  
He also dragged him into sword fighting of all things. Kilian, in turn, managed to drag Dave along whenever he could go out sailing. As the only family Silver had Liam and Killian inherited his ship, a gorgeous, old fashioned brig in excellent condition. It’d broken their hearts to sell her to a local sailing school, but they couldn’t afford to look after her. They’d agreed to get their own vessel once they both had jobs and had time to care for her properly. Until that time Killian had been allowed to help look after the Jewel he’d grown up on and he brought David along. At least that had been the plan until they got the bright idea to move across the ocean.  
He didn’t’ regret it so far. A new start was exactly what he had needed, especially since his father had… No, he wasn’t going to spend another second thinking about that man. Rather….  
He glanced trough the room where people had started dancing. His mystery girl was no longer at the bar but dancing to the music alongside her mysterious friend.  
To his annoyance he saw the man’s hands hover at her hips. More than a friend then?  
She playfully swatted at his hand and shook her head as she said something to him.  
Kilian felt a little better. Maybe he should cut in. When the other man tried once again to put his hands on her, and she once more turned him down, now less amused, he knew he had to intervene.  
“Sorry Liam,” he told his brother, promising himself that he’d make it up to him tomorrow.  
“Go for it Killian,” Liam urged him.  
Killian weaved himself between the masses and as he approached her he could hear what she told the idiot that was making her uncomfortable. “Seriously Walsh, back off!”  
And his reply. “Come on babe! What’s a guy got to do to have a little fun with you? No wonder people call you the ice queen.”  
Kilian hesitated for a second, but then went for the kill. Some men need to learn the hard way that not interested meant not interested.  
“Hello there, darling,” he purred as he hung himself over the douche. He threw all the charm he could into this offence. “A little birdie told me you are looking for some fun. Congrats, you found me!” he chuckled, his voice deep and seductive as he murmured the words into his ear.  
“What the hell!?” Welsh, or as Killian was going to call him, Belch, exclaimed as he jumped back.  
Killian chuckled teasingly a comforting smile on his lips and his eyes promising sinful things. Seriously he should consider taking up acting.  
“Oh, don’t be shy lovely,” he cooed with a playful wink before he let his eyes trail the man’s unimpressive physique. He felt like he managed to make it look like he enjoyed the view though, especially with the way he let his tongue wet his lips before he continued.  
“I mean it’s obvious you don’t have experience, but that’s fine. I’ll show you.” He made his voice soothing, encouraging even and then he reached out to put a ‘comforting’ hand to his chest which was rapidly slapped away by a thoroughly disgusted Belch.  
“Keep your hands of me you fucking fa” Killian didn’t let him finish that sentence. He grabbed him by the collar and pulled him so close that their noses were touching. The dirt bag became white as a sheet.  
“Not so fun when it’s you who’s being bothered is it mate?” he growled dangerously, his eyes darkening with righteous fury. He could hear the coward let out a strangled whimper. He looked ready to soil his pants.  
“Now, you are going to apologize to the lady, and then you are going to crawl back to the hole you came from. Understood?” Belch nodded briskly, his eyes wide.  
“Good.” Killian let go of the other guy’s shirt and stepped aside.  
“Sorry.” It was no more than a murmur in passing and then the guy was gone.  
“Bloody coward,” Killian growled, displeased.  
He turned to the girl and made a little bow. “Apologies, lass. I realize it wasn’t my business, but as a gentleman I couldn’t stand by and let a lady be harassed like that.” He offered.  
“Eh…” the girl looked torn. “Well…, I mean I can handle a jerk like Walsh. I just didn’t think he was a jerk until tonight… But thanks I guess. He deserved it.”  
“Ah, the nice guy. Dreadful creatures really,” Killian nodded.  
“Killian Jones,” he introduced himself with a smirk. “Can I buy you something? To make it up to you on behalf of that newt?”  
This earned him a hesitant smile. “Call me Emma,” she allowed. “And I won’t say no to a free tomato juice.”  
Killian chuckled and led her to the bar.  
“So… What brings you to the good old USA?” Emma asked.  
“Now whatever makes you think I don’t live here?” His less stellar performance playing shocked at her deduction skills earned him a smirk and a roll of her eyes.  
“It’s my impeccable charm, isn’t it? It always gives us servants to the queen away,” he sighed dramatically.  
“The accent doesn’t help,” Emma added to which Killian snapped his fingers.  
“Right! I knew I forgot something,” he chuckled before answering her question.  
“Well luv, my education. I got into the University of New York and my mate got into Law School there, too. So, you Yankees are stuck with me for a while.” He winked playfully at her.  
“Really? I’m going there too. I might see you around,” she told him. Now that was good news.  
“I should be so lucky,” he smiled a little more sincerely.  
There was something about her, a familiar thing. That look in her eyes. That hesitance to let others in. That pain that never goes away. She was left behind too.  
“Tell you what…,” he suggested as he signaled the barkeep for something to write and picked a cardboard coaster from a pile.  
“Thanks mate,” he said to the bartender as he accepted the offered pen before scribbling down his number.  
“I have to get back to my brother, he’s only in town for the week, but if you are in need of a charming douche repellant, or feel like thanking me for my excellent company by showing me around this fine city that I’ll be making my home for the summer, you call me.” With that he got up and started to walk away.  
“Wait, that’s it? You aren’t going to ask me for my number?” she verified.  
“Now, where would the excitement in that be?” he grinned before returning to his booth.  
“You are an idiot.” Liam groaned.  
“She just got harassed,” Killian countered. “If she’s interested, she’ll call. If not, then that’s fine.” It was a lie. He really, really wanted her to call him. But it would be a cold day in hell before Killian Jones did anything that could even remotely be considered to be in the same ballpark as what that Belch did.  
After a few more drinks Killian and Liam headed home. Killian found Emma’s eyes in the crowd. She was talking with a group of girls, but when she saw him looking at her she smiled and nodded meaningfully. He couldn’t keep the grin off his face. He felt about ten centimeters taller. Or inches here in the states he supposed. Silver had taught them both the metric and the imperial system, something that, as it turns out, now comes in handy.  
“She’s going to call me,” he told Liam with certainty.  
Liam scoffed. “What makes you think that?”  
“Optimism?” he offered.  
“Sure,” his brother scoffed, as his phone went off and he stayed behind a little bit. Killian considered waiting but then thought better of it. Two idiots standing in the middle of the sidewalk would be more of a bother to other pedestrians than just the one.  
He soon came to regret that decision.  
He walked by an alley and realized there was a group of about five men walking behind him, sensing dangerous presence about them. Before he could even consider his options, he was dragged into the alley, slammed and restrained against the wall and then punched in the gut.  
“Do you know who we are?” a voice growled.  
“Should I?” Oh yeah, great moment to have a big mouth Killian.  
“Foreigner. Should’ve known. No sane person would lay a hand on your nephew in our club,” another voice giggled. It was clear to Killian that this guy was the bootlicker of the group. A yes-man to boost the leader’s ego.  
“None of you look like the entrepreneuring type, mates. No offense.” _Shut up, shut up!  
_ He groaned in pain as his big mouth got punched. He’s not missing any teeth, luckily, but he can taste copper which means they probably split his lip.  
“We are the flying monkeys. I’m the leader. They call me the wizard. And my pal at the club said you tried to make a move on my nephew.”  
Killian cursed under his breath. _Of course, just perfect.  
_ “Saw him bothering a lass. Figured either I punch some manners into him and get thrown out, or I show him what it feels like to get unwanted attention. Just trying to do a public service,” he explained.  
“I see. You like to be a hero huh? I think I know which bitch you tried to impress.”  
Before the words fully registered Killian managed to pull himself up in the cronies’ grip and land a kick to the leader’s stomach, making him fall back and lay on the ground for a few moments, groaning in pain. The rest of the pack looked on in astonishment for a few moments, unsure what to do.  
“Watch your bloody mouth!” Killian snapped as the vermin scrambled to his feet.  
“You’ll regret that,” he seethed as he grabbed Killian’s color and got ready to beat him to a pulp.  
“Let him go Oswald!” a familiar voice echoed through the alley.  
The leader, Oswald apparently, stepped back and made vague gesture, prompting his goons to let go of him. Killian, still tender from getting punched in the gut and from kicking the git despite said gut punch, probably would’ve fallen to the ground if he wasn’t caught by a familiar figure. “Killian, are you alright?” Liam whispered worriedly as he gently lowered him to the ground so he can rest.  
“I’ve been better,” he admitted sheepishly.  
“Well, well, well. If it isn’t the ugly duckling,” Oswald sneered. “What do you want Swan?”  
Killian looked up and found that Emma, while being a head shorter, seemed to be glaring his assailant down with a fury that would make the Valkyrie of Norse myth proud. And despite the pain he was feeling, it only made his attraction to her grow.  
“For you to get the fuck out of here. The cops are already on their way, and once your daddy hears what you’ve been up to, your summer is going to be hell. Every second you stay here, you risk doing something that’s going to be the final straw that sends you off to military school. Take your wannabe criminal gang and get out of my sight. Or should I remind you, Chief Humbert is my foster dad? One word from me about how Walsh was acting tonight and your nephew dearest can join you at boot camp.” There was a moment of absolute silence before Oswald huffed and walked away, his friends following him. Killian could see Liam glare after them.  
Before he could dissuade his brother from doing something impulsive and stupid, Liam’s usual mindset when Killian was involved, Emma approached them and looked Killian over, redirecting Liam’s attention to the more pressing matter.  
“Apologies, lass. This isn’t quite how I imagined our second meeting to go,” Killian jested.  
“Did they damage his brain or is he always this much of an idiot?” she asked Liam who couldn’t help his fond smile at Killian’s scandalized “Hey!”.  
“This is normal for him,” Liam confirmed.  
“Well you are no help,” Killian muttered a little dejected, hissing in pain as Emma’s fingers pressed against his stomach as she tried to help him up. “Careful love. I’m pretty sure that’s going to bruise.” He warned through clenched teeth, although he was trying to play it off with a coy smile.  
She frowned. “What were they thinking? Attacking you, unprovoked like that?”  
“Well… They didn’t like that I came on to Belch earlier,” he recalled. Emma snorted. “Belch?”  
“Wasn’t that his name? I wasn’t paying much attention. It suits him anyway,” he grinned, despite the fact that smiling in any way hurt.  
“Anyway, I told them I was teaching him some manners… And then I might have kicked that Oswald guy when he said some things about you that I can’t repeat on account of me being a gentleman. Forgive me, but since you weren’t here at the time to defend yourself, I felt it would be bad form to let him run his mouth like that.”  
“They had you five against one and you still kicked him?” Emma asked incredulously.  
“Well, a man who doesn’t fight for what he wants deserves what he gets. And I wanted that ass to keep his trap shut about you,” he explained offhandedly. “I might have let my temper get the best of me,” he admitted. He often had that problem, but only when his sense of justice or protective instincts were triggered. It wasn’t like he got into a fist fight over every mild disagreement.  
“How are you still alive with that kind of mindset…? They were obviously drunk and they don’t have a great handle on their temper when sober,” she scolded, though her eyes were wide with admiration.  
“Never was one to take anything from anyone lying down,” he offered.  
“And he’s made me age about ten years because of it,” Liam confirmed, shaking his head.  
But Killian was too focused on the look in her eyes to pay him any mind. It was obvious to him that Emma was a kindred spirit. He’d seen some of that back at the bar and again here in the alley. Someone who hadn’t known much luck in her life. Someone who’d only recently started to feel hope again. Someone who’d fought every day of her life for a decent life.  
And by the gods of old, was he ever awed by the strength she possessed and humbled by the strange vulnerability he could see in her eyes right now. Did he do that? Had his actions somehow caught her so off guard that she was, even if just for now, forsaking the walls he detected when talking to her at the bar?  
“Emma!” They all looked up to see the flashing lights of a cop car and a figure running towards them.  
A man in his early forties arrived and embraced Emma tightly. “Are you alright?” he asked.  
“I’m fine!” Emma exclaimed embarrassedly, her walls back up in full force. The man let her go and looked her up and down before turning towards Killian and his brother.  
“Chief Humbert,” he introduced himself. “What happened here?” he asked as his subordinates arrived and prepared to note down their statements and receive orders.  
“Just a bit of a misunderstanding Chief Humbert,” Killian jested halfheartedly. “I thought a woman should be treated with respect and that those who fail to do so should be given a taste of their own medicine. The wanker in question thought that a man should not try to resolve his own disagreements but get others to rough up whomever annoys him.” From the way the agents were looking at each other, they knew exactly who he was talking about.  
“Can’t this wait until Killian feels a bit more like himself? I think he might actually be a bit delirious from the adrenaline,” Liam argued worriedly.  
“Maybe I’m a bit light headed,” Killian allowed. In all honesty, he was only now starting to really feel the throbbing in his upper lip and the stinging sensation in his stomach. Perhaps it was advisable to see a doctor.  
“Of course,” the chief nodded. “Just one thing. Do you know who assaulted you?”  
“Emma does. Guy who punched me called himself ‘the wizard’,” he told the chief. No one looked surprised.  
Humbert turned to Emma. “Oswald Baum,” she nodded.  
“Well I’ll let Frank know to expect a bill from the hospital,” Humbert sighed with a nod to his officers who left the scene.  
“Shouldn’t they look for evidence?” Liam asked baffled.  
“Three witnesses and the street cameras that must’ve caught them dragging your brother into the alley? Not to mention Frank knows Oswald’s… _Tendencies_. Don’t worry. The boy might not get this on his record, but Frank is on his last nerve with him. Not to mention that this time, someone actually got hurt.”  
“Wait. He’s not going to get arrested? Who’s his dad? The mayor?” Liam scoffed.  
“His mother, actually.” The brothers hadn’t expected that answer.  
“And the Baum’s are one of the old families around here,” Emma added. “They have their hands in everything. Frank Baum is the commissioner, but he’s not a coddling type. Something Oswald fails to understand. They just don’t want Oswald embarrassing them. He’s the black sheep of the family.”  
Well, he and Welsh, but neither of the brothers were going to mention who it was that harassed Emma if she wasn’t comfortable discussing it. Perhaps she just didn’t want to say it in front of her guardian.  
“That reminds me. How do you fit in this picture? Did one of Oswald’s friends bother you?”  
Emma sighed. “It was just a bit of flirting. Killian chased them off,” she assured him. “You didn’t have to come down here in person. I told Mike that I was fine.”  
“Your fine and my fine are entirely different things. I’ll finish up here. You go wait in the car. Your statement can wait until tomorrow.” Chief Humbert was about to steer his foster daughter towards the cruiser only for her to step away from his guiding hand, taking a stand.  
“I’m staying with them. Mary was going to meet me here after her date and I already let her know to meet me at the hospital instead. She’s going to be worried,” she insisted.  
“Dave,” Killian groaned in realization. “I’ve let him know,” Liam confirmed. “Sorry, I was still talking to him when Miss Swan came by and asked where you were. She’d seen those bulls enter the bar and leave and was worried they’d be after you. There was no way to keep him in the dark.”  
Killian wasn’t happy with this reveal, but just then the ambulance arrived.  
Emma kept her word and sat with him and Liam in the hospital when they let her be in the room. Turns out his ribs were slightly bruised and he might have a concussion. He had to stay the night for observation. Humbert encouraged him to drive up the bill as high as he liked. Oswald would have to pay back every penny. So he asked for a private room and agreed to every test and scan they could throw at him, even if it didn’t have anything to do with tonight’s events. Apparently the doctors had been made aware who would be footing the bill in the end and were only too glad to help him get as much payback as possible.  
“This is going to make a great story someday,” Killian grinned goofily when the nurse and doctor finally leave the room.  
“I think those painkillers are kicking in,” Emma jabbed.  
“Come on, Luv. I got wounded in battle to defend your honor. Have pity on me,” he pleaded.  
“Definitely the painkillers. Killian, as your brother, I advise you to keep quiet. You’ll only make a fool of yourself.”  
“You’re not the boss of me!” Killian objected. Though later he’d admit that his memory of this part of the story is a bit foggy. Apparently he reacted strongly to the brand the hospital favored. Or maybe he’s very susceptible to painkillers in general. He rarely used them as a rule.  
“Killian!?” The frantic shout of his name by a familiar voice shut him up.  
“Here we go,” Liam sighed.  
“Sir, you can’t just…” A staff member exclaimed, but Dave stormed into the room with no regard for anything other than to see if Killian was still breathing. The man could be a bit melodramatic at times.  
“You’re okay,” he breathed in relief.  
“Sorry for ruining your date, mate,” he apologized. Dave never went out, no matter how pretty the lass asking was, so whomever this girl was he was infatuated with must’ve been something special.  
“Not important. Besides she got an emergency call as well. Something about…” then David’s eyes fell on Emma. “Oh, hi,” he greeted a bit taken aback.  
She smiled a bit uncomfortable and held out her hand to introduce herself. “Hi, my name’s,”  
“Emma?” This was said by the petite woman with dark hair in a pixie cut who came in right behind Dave and was glancing around his figure in the doorway. David stepped aside to let her through, his eyes still darting between Killian and Emma.  
“Marry Margaret… Wait. This is your date?” Emma realized.  
“Small world,” Liam noted a bit incredulous.  
“Oh… Oh, my…” the girl, Mary Margaret muttered a bit overwhelmed with it all herself.  
“David I’m so sorry. You should’ve been with them tonight.” She was clearly torn up about the situation.  
“Don’t beat yourself up, Luv. You can’t control the behavior of others. Least of all me. I had to open my big mouth,” Killian assured her.  
“Still…” she turned to Emma. “Moraine called before you texted. She said you ran off and what you said happened earlier. If I’d been there…”  
“You’re super sweet Mary, really, but I’m okay. And Oswald is going to pay a steep price for hurting Killian.”  
Killian grinned, he liked the way she said his name. He liked everything about her really. And he was glad she was friends with Dave’s girl. His mate better not screw things up. He’s planning on using them as a reason for he and Swan to hang out as often as possible.  
“What’s got you so happy?” Emma asked with a quirked brow.  
“Well… Knowing that Dave was out with your friend… It must’ve been providence that made our paths cross,” he explained.  
“That’s enough out of you,” Liam insisted. “Get some sleep.”  
“Mmmm… Kay,” he muttered. The medicine was making him feel sleepy. “They’ll wake me up though right? Cause I might have a concussion…” he reminded them, unable to recall if he or the doctor had told his brother this.  
“Oswald has pissed off most of this part of Boston. Every nurse and doctor here will ensure you have the best and most expensive care possible,” Emma informed him.  
Killian would have liked to give some kind of charming and/or funny remark, but he was already gone by the time she finished her sentence.

**Present day New York**

As if Mary Margaret and David being each other’s date that night wasn’t coincidence enough, Madam Gohrm –David’s family friend they were staying with –lived just a few houses down the street from the superintendent in chief Humbert.  
Emma did call him back. They hung out a lot as a group and sometimes as just the two of them. Over the summer, he and Emma shared stories. He told her about his father and that he’d been reaching out to them lately. She’d understood that he didn’t feel ready to be confronted with him. Not after years of silence. Not even so much as a birthday card. He also told her about the good and the bad of living with Silver, and how great a friend David had been to him.  
In turn, she told him that one of her earliest memories was of being dragged away from the only real mother figure she’d ever known. The woman who had found her as a baby, not too long after she was born and raised her as her own for the next five years. Her experience was both a mirror to his own and a stark contrast., because while his father had ignored his pleas, Emma’s mother had been crying and begging social services not to take her. Begging Emma not to forget that she loved her. Emma was never given a proper explanation about why she was taken like that. And she’d never felt safe in any home after, especially not the ‘nice’ homes. Not until Humbert took her in. He had been following her through many of her attempts at running away and always took her reasons for doing so seriously. When she turned sixteen and ran away from a particularly horrible foster dad he’d filed to become her legal guardian. For the first time in ages, she wasn’t in a house full of other neglected kids. It was only Emma. He had looked after her the last two years of her high school career and to this day, he’s still the closest Emma ever had to a father figure.  
She had told him about how she met Mary Margaret and how the excitable girl had basically adopted her as her best friend within minutes. By then, Killian had already personally experienced the force of positivity and love that was Mary Margaret Blanchard.  
She made Dave ridiculously happy and that was the most important thing.  
About three weeks into their friendship, not wanting to wait too long and risk putting them in that position where they are too afraid to ruin a friendship by exploring the attraction they clearly both felt, Killian had asked Emma out. She hadn’t said yes right away, wanting to consider it, but in the end she accepted. The date went well. So well, that when ‘moving in day’ came, they’d already been dating for over a month. There’d been kinks and bumps, but they always talked things out. He already knew not to push Emma and not to take it personally when she took steps back. Even if his instinct was to hold her close and not let anything harm her, he knows she needs space and the last thing he wants to do is hurt her by holding on too tight.  
By the end of the summer, the four of them were best friends and they had gotten an apartment near the university together. It was a cozy two bedroom apartment. Originally they intended to be responsible young adults and have a girls and a boys room, but that lasted only until the end of the first semester when Emma officially switched rooms with David.  
Things kept going better. They all got jobs. Friends. School went well.  
Killian should’ve known something big had been heading their way the whole time. And last summer it had arrived. Liam was supposed to visit them over the summer, to celebrate Killian being named in an academic paper for a project he’d assisted on. But there’d been an accident and Liam was in the wrong place at the wrong time…  
It’d been a horrible period for him, but it’d shown him that Emma, David and Mary Margaret were there for him. They’d all come with him to arrange and attend the funeral. Emma especially had withstood his worst mood swings and held him during his nightmares.  
He’d inherited everything Liam owned, including their mother’s ring, which Liam had insisted on just giving to Killian several times since he was obviously going to be the first to need one.  
The ring that is now on a necklace burning against his skin. He still has the box that goes with it, but he likes to keep it close should the perfect moment choose to announce itself unexpectedly.  
Neither he nor Emma ever had a once upon a time kind of life. But despite all of that, Killian truly believes they can be each other’s happily ever after.  
He looks over at Emma and smiles as he sees the relaxed smile on her face. She loves him. She said the words after six years together, after almost a year of constantly almost saying it but being either interrupted or losing her nerve.  
This incredible woman loves him.  
Suddenly she parks the car. They’re back at their apartment.  
“How about a cup of hot cocoa before bed?” he suggests.  
“Sounds amazing,” Emma smiles before laying a kiss on his lips and getting out.  
Gods, if it wasn’t for the fact that she needs to get up early in the morning he’d probably keep her up all night to show her how happy she makes him.  
He throws his arm around her shoulder as they leave the parking garage and enter the building.  
“So, has Nemo gotten back to you about that summer project yet?” she asks.  
Nemo is one of his classic history professors and his mentor for his graduation projects. He is the one who included Killian in the research that ended up getting him published.  
“No. I think he’s waiting until after graduation.” Nemo lost his pregnant wife and brother in a tragic accident that nearly killed him too. He never denied that he has a tendency to get attached to certain students and that Killian is one of them. Killian never felt like he was being treated differently. If anything, Nemo expected more of him because he knew exactly what he was capable of.   
“What do you think it’s about?” she wonders.  
“He’ll probably ask me for help with translations again.” Aside from his history studies, he’d been taking courses on several languages. Latin and ancient Greek among them. During the last project he was part of he’d helped translate some engravings in pottery and graffiti on walls. “Which is exciting…”  
“But you are hoping to get some real fieldwork,” she guesses.  
“Yeah. I don’t mind doing the research work. I really enjoy looking into old scriptures… but I’d love to stand where they stood, you know? To walk where the foundations of our civilization were invented. To stand in the temples where the old deities were worshiped…”  
“Despite their problematic family relations,” Emma jests making him chuckle.  
“The Greeks were weird like that,” he agrees.  
“And scary. I mean, someone says: hey, that girl looks so pretty! And before you know it, Aphrodite has the girl cursed. Greek Gods had issues…” Emma shakes her head incredulously.  
He and Emma often discuss their fields of study with each other.  
Emma loves his ‘nerdy’ side and he adores the way Emma’s eyes soften when she talks about case studies they reviewed in class that stuck with her. She put up a strong front, but his Emma was a caring, empathic person. And this became more apparent as time went on and he tore down more of her walls. The last of which had just fallen.  
She stops him when they arrive at their floor. “Did you hear from him?” she asks seriously.  
He sighs and pulls her against his chest, burying his face in her hair.  
“Yes.”  
“Maybe you should…” she starts.  
“He turned his back on us. I finally have a family, a place where I belong. He doesn’t get to march into my life after… He can’t come in now that I don’t need him anymore.” Even in his own ears, he doesn’t sound sure.  
“He’s been trying since before we met Killian. Maybe… if my parents reached out to me, I’d want to know. That’s all.”  
He does want to know. But he can’t… He won’t be able to handle it if his father lets him down again. And he’s almost positive that he will. Every letter that has reached him over the past seven years is laying unopened in one of his drawers. He can’t bring himself to read them and he can’t bring himself to throw them away. What if he is sorry? But what if he’s just asking for money? What if he has changed? What if he’s worse?  
Those are the thoughts that plague him. So he opts for the Schrodinger’s cat approach. So long as he doesn’t open a letter, he can believe that his father is a better man now and wants to make up for past mistakes.  
Maybe it’s cowardly of him, but he doesn’t need his father anymore. He has everything he’ll ever need here in his arms and waiting back in their apartment.  
“I know, love,” he whispers. “But right now, you and I should focus on tomorrow. Your final exam and the party. I’ve wasted enough time wishing for him to come for me. I don’t want to waste our time together too.”  
A downside of having a girlfriend who’s specializing in developmental psychology, she has maybe a little too much insight in how your childhood traumas are haunting you. Then again, Emma doesn’t need a degree to know how much tragedies from your youth can affect a person.  
“Alright,” she allows reluctantly as she steps out of his embrace and leads the way to their apartment door.  
“Put your clothes back on, we’re back!” She calls out as a warning to Mary and Dave.  
Their roommates are sitting on their couch looking very put together, so they didn’t interrupt anything. Despite that they are looking surprisingly tense, as if they were caught. But that is ridiculous. If you look up goodie two shoes in the dictionary, you’ll find a picture of Mary Margaret and Dave.  
“I’m getting ready for bed,” Emma announces as she turns to him and wraps her arms around his neck, distracting him from his train of thought.  
“I’ll be with you in a minute,” he promises as he kisses the top of her head.  
She smiles up at him and kisses his lips briefly. “Love you,” she whispers again, making his heart skip.  
He grins back. “And I you,” he swears before sending her off with a playful jab to her sides.  
“To bed with you!” he instructs sternly. She giggles and hurries off to their room.  
“Night, guys!” she greets in passing. Once the door closes behind her Killian looks back at their friends who are beaming at him in happy surprise.  
“Did she just…?” Mary asks. Killian nods with a grin as he walks over to their kitchen and starts making Emma’s cocoa with cinnamon.  
“That’s great Killian. I’m happy for you two.”  
“So am I. The only thing that can make my mood better is if my green card came through,” he confesses, feeling a little greedy to wish for more than what tonight has already brought him.  
“Well… There is something in the mail for you,” David tells him.  
At this, Killian nearly trips over himself in his rush to reach the coffee table where the mail is usually put and grabs the only letter that is left.  
“Why didn’t you say anything before now?” he demands as he studies the envelope with his name on. It looks official. This might be it. He has pulled on every string he could. He was assured that his approval was pretty much a guarantee. Still, he was nervous.  
“Should I call Emma back?” David asks.  
“No… I’m, I’m going to open it with her,” he decides. He casts them an apologetic look.  
“Of course. She’s been looking forward to this moment almost as much as you. We’ll hear the good news in the morning,” Mary assures him. Killian smiles. “Thanks MM,” he breathes before heading back to the kitchen to finish making Emma’s drink and taking it to their room along with the envelope.  
When he enters their room, Emma is just getting in bed. She looks up at him with a brilliant smile as she gets under the covers and holds out her hand for her favorite drink.  
“Thanks,” she smiles before taking a sip.  
“Love,” he says gently as he sits next to her on the side of the bed. She looks up at him with a frown and then her eyes land on the envelope he’s holding. She puts her drink aside.  
“Is that what I think it is?” she asks tensely.  
“I hope so.” He bites at the inside of his cheek nervously. What if he’s mistaken? What if it’s a rejection of his application?  
“Open it, Killian!” Emma insists.  
Right, he’s not the only one who’s been waiting for this moment. He opens the envelope, takes the letter out and lets his eyes drift over its contents.  
“I… I’ve been approved,” he whispers incredulously.  
He has no time to really process this before he’s attacked by his girlfriend who throws herself into his arms and kisses him with so much enthusiasm that he only barely manages to catch her in his arms.  
“You are staying,” she manages breathlessly.   
“Nothing in the world could keep me away from you, love. Don’t you know that by now?” he asks as he gazes into her eyes.  
“I know… But… I’ve never been so happy. I keep expecting for it all to go wrong.” He knows what she means. They’d put the pieces back together after Liam’s funeral and things have been going well again for some time now. He still misses his brother, but he’s given his passing a place in his life and found a way to count his blessings and move forward.  
“I know Sweetheart, nut even if it does, whatever happens, we’ll face it together,” he promises.  
She smiles and kisses him again. His fingers tangle in her hair and her nails scratch at his scalp coaxing a moan from his throat. “Darling,” he whispers as she turns her attention to his jaw.  
“I would love to celebrate, but…”  
“You promised to help me relax remember?” She reminds him. And really, how can he argue with that?  
“If the lady insists,” he growls playfully before lifting her up, causing her to squeal in surprise.  
“Best be mindful of the neighbors, love,” he teases before laying her down and trailing his hands down her sides. Just when she surrenders to the feeling, he assaults every sensitive spot he can reach with a tickle attack. “Killian!” she protests through her giggles before being silenced by his mouth on hers. He loves her laugh. He loves how she says his name no matter what mood she is in. He loves the way she tastes of cinnamon and chocolate. He loves the way her skin flushes when she’s shy or embarrassed. And he’s going to make her feel just how loved she is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check out @mariakov91 on tumblr for the art that goes with the story.  
> https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/mariakov81


	3. One more day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma and Killian may not know this, but by the end of today, their lives will have changed forever.

The sound of Emma’s alarm wakes him up. He feels her move away from him and on instinct he tightens his hold on her waist, pressing her back against his chest.  
“I need to get up to review my notes,” Emma reminds him, not even considering the possibility that he might still be asleep. She knows him too well at this point.  
“But you’re warm,” he argues a little childishly.  
“I know, babe,” she groans as she turns around to face him. He opens his eyes to look at her. Her hair is a mess and her eyes are still bleary from sleep. He can imagine he’s much the same, but he doesn’t care. Seeing her first thing in the morning puts him in much too good of a mood to worry about appearances.  
She smiles up at him and gently brushes his hair back. “Sorry, go back to sleep. I’ll wake you when I leave,” she promises with a kiss to his cheek.  
Well, that isn’t going to happen. “No, no, I’m up,” he assures her. Sitting up and stretching himself out to prove his point, he rakes his hand through his hair and smiles down at her.  
“You want to get in the shower first? Or want me to help wash your back?” he suggests deviously.  
Emma smirks back at him and shakes her head. “Better not. I won’t get anything done,” she sighs before rolling out of bed. Killian watches her grab some clothes and walk towards the bathroom. Once she’s inside, he gets up, puts on some clothes and goes to the kitchen to prepare her a healthy breakfast. Some cereal, a yoghurt, some fruit and a fresh pot of coffee.  
Everything she needs to wake up and feel ready for the day. The sun isn’t even up yet, it’s that early.  
He’s tempted to get some coffee for himself as well, but he knows he’ll regret it later. He doesn’t handle caffeine well. David often teases him that he can hold more alcohol than any of their friends and yet he can’t stand even one cup of coffee. And of course, his beverage of choice in the morning is black tea. Good job feeding into the stereotype.  
Oh well, he likes what he likes.  
Well, he’s not the type to go full ‘English Breakfast’ on his housemates. Just some toast with Jelly for him, thank you very much.  
Right when he sets the coffee pot on the table, Emma walks in with her hair in a ponytail and her nose in her notes.  
“Morning,” Killian greets warmly. She looks up and takes in her breakfast with wide eyes.  
“You weren’t kidding with the healthy breakfast, huh?” she grins as she puts her notes down and pulls him in for a kiss. It’s just a quick brush of their lips, but Killian will take it.  
“Of course. Only the best for my princess,” he mutters before giving her her space to get in the zone.  
“You are the oddest combination of nerd and bad boy I’ve ever met,” she teases before digging into her cereal.  
“I’m your nerdy bad boy though, aren’t I?” he asks with a devilish grin.  
“And don’t you forget it,” she warns, waving her spoon at him.  
He kisses the top of her head. “I’m going to get ready for the day. You finish breakfast and get back to those notes. I’ll try not to be too distracting until it’s time to go,” he promises before heading to the bathroom. When he gets back into the living room, Emma is gone. Probably studying in their room. He goes to sit in their sofa and reaches for his tablet, which he left on the coffee table when he and Emma left last night. That is when he notices the antique mirror that looks out of place among the bowl filled with chargers, the cat themed box for mail and two forgotten mugs, Dave’s and Mary Margaret’s, which is unusual. Emma is the only one of them who’s sloppy with her things, something he’d be more annoyed with if he hadn’t learned that she enjoys being able to leave her mark somewhere. She’s trying harder at not making it a hindrance for the rest of them and he’s trying not to pick up after her. That had been a confusing fight and not a scenario he wanted to repeat ever again.  
Anyway, leaving mugs out is very unusual for MM and Dave.  
They’re not as tidy as him, but they never postpone chores. Mary was the whistle while you work kind of person and never complains about chores. Dave isn’t as eager to do his part in the house, but he is the complete opposite of a procrastinator. He cannot stand leaving a matter unfinished.  
Had they been so distracted by the recent developments in his and Emma’s lives that they’d forgotten about them?  
Well, he doesn’t have anything better to do the next hour or so.  
He picks up the mugs, rinses them off in the sink and puts them in the dishwasher.  
When he goes back to sit down again to go through his email and see what’s new online, his eye, once again, is caught by the antique hand held mirror on the table.  
He’s not comfortable moving it around, it’s not his. It looks like it could belong to Mary, though it looked just a touch too gothic to be her taste.  
Living together has made them all experts on each other’s preferences. Their apartment is a harmonious chaotic mismatch of it all. David likes everything with a country vibe to it. Mary is all about the birds and flowers - if it’s cute it’s good with her. Emma is more a closet girly girl - handmade and comfortable (or rather comforting) was her preference. When he met her, she was wearing that red dress as protection from the world. On their first date, she wore the sweetest, softest pink dress. He adored it and it took him about ten minutes into their date to realize that she’d taken a massive chance on him by showing him the real her. The girl behind the evasive jokes and eye rolls. The one that loves being complimented, who likes dressing up for a date to feel cute. Who prefers to be held close for a moment every now and then rather than be told how sexy she looks. And while she was afraid that he’d be disappointed with the real her, it was that night that he realized he was falling in love.  
It sounds like a plot to a cheesy rom com. He never believed in whirlwind romances like this. And still, it was what happened and to this day, there were moments where he fell for her all over again.  
Their relationship followed its own schedule. Some things took them longer than others would consider normal, and then there were things they seemingly rushed into head first. He couldn’t care less though. They went at the exact right pace for them and that’s all that mattered.  
The sound of a door closing in the hall pulls him back into the here and now. He has to stop spacing out while daydreaming about his girlfriend.  
He listens for more sounds, someone is going down the stairs. Their neighbors going on their morning run no doubt. Emma might call him a health nut, but Fa is definitely worse than him. It’s like every time they run into them they’re either on their way to some kind of work out, heading back for a shower or consuming something kale related.  
He looks back to the mirror. Moving it would be rude since he doesn’t like the others rearranging his stuff either. But something about it is unnerving…  
Pushing past the feeling that he’s being watched, which is ridiculous, he takes his tablet almost defiantly and lays back into the couch, legs dangling over one armrest and head resting on the other.  
No mail from Nemo about the possible job and nothing from Gold about the next outing he needs to prepare Moirai for. There was a reminder of Neal that came in somewhere last night about the party.  
He sends back a reply to confirm they’d be there.  
A reminder that they’d get their results at the end of the week and the time and place to be for graduation.  
Other than that, just spam. He switches to his personal favorite time waster website to keep him from watching the clock every other minute. He’s chuckling about someone’s comment when he suddenly feels a weight press on top of him.  
He lifts his tablet above his head and finds Emma smiling at him. He glances at the clock. Fifteen minutes before they have to leave.  
“I’m done early,” she tells him with a smile.  
“I see that,” he smiles back as he puts his tablet away. “Want me to distract you?” he guesses.  
“You can read my mind,” she grins as she kisses him. After a few moments they pull apart.  
“You’re not that hard to read love… Not to me at least,” he assures her.  
“And I love that about you,” she tells him.  
He strokes her hair with a content smile. “So do I,” he agrees.  
“Don’t get too cocky though. You are not without flaws,” she points out.  
“Oh? Care to elaborate?” he chuckles. She starts to sit up and he pulls his legs out from underneath her so they can sit side by side.  
She picks up the mirror. “Do you really love your face so much that you need to frame it?” she teases.  
“Hilarious, but that’s not even remotely my style, darling,” he argues.  
“I don’t know... I’ve seen your high school pics. You were basically a Hot Topic model. And you like old timey junk so…” The glint in her eyes makes it clear that she doesn’t really mean any of this.  
“Excuse me? If you are referring to my bike, she’s vintage and it took me and Dave ages to restore her. She is not junk!” he warns her.“Second, it was a phase. I was an angsty teenager, get over it.”  
For a moment, they stare each other down before bursting out laughing.  
Once she has control of herself, Emma looks back at the mirror. “It’s kind of creepy though. Can’t be Mary Margaret’s. She wouldn’t go within miles of this thing,” she mutters.  
“Maybe it’s a gift from someone?” Killian guesses.  
“Weird gift. I kind of expect someone else to stare back at me,” she admits as she angles the mirror a little to watch the light reflect of off it.  
“Horror movie jump scare style?” he chuckles.  
“Yeah… Oh, you know what else it reminds me off?” she asks with a grin.  
He shrugs and she turns back to the mirror with an exaggerated regal expression.  
“Mirror, mirror in my hand, who is the fairest of the land?” she wonders with a horrible British accent for some reason.  
“You, my darling,” Killian starts in a mystical tone as he turns her face to him, “are without doubt the fairest. This is true.” Then, he takes the mirror from her hand and puts it down, allowing his gaze and voice to become sincere.  
“But that is not even a fraction of the reason why I love you.”  
Her breath catches and she seems at a loss for words for a second.  
“So, tell me why then,” she whispers.  
He strokes a lock of hair out of her face and kisses her soundly.  
“No time now,” he mutters gently before returning to a light, casual tone. “Want to go with your tin can or my old timey junk?” he asks.  
Emma’s face almost becomes a pout but she resists the urge. “Are you still picking Graham up?” she asks instead.  
Her foster father might no longer have legal guardianship over her, but they still have a close bond. So, for her graduation, Graham is going to be the one sitting in the audience to cheer for her.  
Killian is happy for her, even if it kind of stings to have an extra reminder that there is an empty seat where his brother should sit.  
For the briefest moment, he tries to imagine his father showing up, but then he once more realizes… He doesn’t quite remember his face. Just long dark curls and a strong back as the man who should be looking after him turned away instead.  
All this aside. Graham is due to arrive at the airport today and since Dave has a shift at the shelter and Mary already agreed to cover for Ruby at the diner, Killian was the only one who could pick him up. Which was actually a good thing now. He has an important question to ask him.  
“Tin can it is,” he smiles in agreement.  
“Go get your things,” he instructs. As he expected she hurries to their room to look for her jacket or a shoe or something like that. It gives him time to go to the bookshelf next to the tv and take a little velvet box from its hiding place. It’s empty, but by the time he shows it to Graham, his mother’s ring will be in it.  
“I hope you’re watching today,” he whispers to both his mother and brother’s spirits as he tucks the box in his jacket pocket. He makes sure the pocket is zipped shut before he puts the jacket on.  
Just in time too. Emma comes running in and tosses him the keys to her car.  
“I triple checked. I have everything,” she announces.  
“You look like you are ready,” he observes proudly.  
“I feel ready,” she beams as she leads the way out of their apartment and outside.  
“Hold on,” he says before shutting the apartment door. He checks his non ring bearing pocket for his wallet and keys. They are there. Good. It would be just great if he got stopped while driving Graham to his hotel room and didn’t have his ID or his driver’s license.  
He’d worked hard to get the man’s approval. Just one night of chivalry was hardly enough to make the good chief not eye him with suspicion every time he and Dave came by to pick Emma up for group outings. But eventually, and Killian thanked Silver’s strict parenting style for this, his impeccable manners and punctuality earned him respect and even a decent relationship with Emma’s foster father.  
And today, all of that would have to pay off. But before he can ask the man his blessing, he has to drop Emma of at the university in time.  
“Let’s go,” he announces as he pulls the door closed.  
They go to the underground garage and Killian once again lets her in her car, once more earning an eye roll and a fond smile.  
The drive to the university is spent in pleasant silence. For a moment, he worries Emma is stressing in secret, but one glance to the passenger’s side tells him that she is really feeling good about today.  
“Remember when we were dating for a week I think and I mentioned never going to prom?” she asks.  
Killian blushes and nods. He’d pestered David and Mary into helping him throw Emma a small private prom, crowning their friends as prom king and queen because he knew that winning a popularity contest was not part of Emma’s dream night but it was part of the experience, and it was also an opportunity to make their friends feel their appreciation.  
It had taken them a little over a week to get everything organized and Emma had hugged him when he asked her to be his date to the prom in front of a poster MM made. Quite frankly, it put all prom posters that came before to shame. She’d really poured her heart into the design.  
And Emma had looked so beautiful. The smile on her face when he gave her her corsage…  
Worth every second of planning that went into it.  
“And your first thanksgiving when you came over to my place and you said that you were thankful for me in front of Graham?” Once again he nods. Dave had been invited to celebrate with Mary Margaret and her aunt Johana, who raised her, and Liam had been deployed at the time. Emma had more or less dragged him along to make sure that he wasn’t alone.  
“And last Christmas when you pulled me under the mistletoe while I was waiting tables at Granny’s?”  
He chuckles and nods again. She’d been picking up extra shifts to make rent that month because she had spent a little too much on her gift for him.  
Once he’d figured out the reason for her sudden need for cash, he’d made it a point to visit her every shift and tip generously.  
He parked the bug and looked back at her. “Is there a reason for this trip down memory lane?” he wondered. She smirks and gives him a playful wink before getting out the car.  
He follows to walk her to her class. “Well?” he presses after a few moments. She pushes the door open and they walk in. “None of those are the moment I realized I’m in love with you,” she states.  
He is stunned into silence for a few moments.  
How long had she known? Had she known as long as he had? Longer somehow? He didn’t care and yet he desperately needs to know now. What had been the moment that broke down that elusive wall around his Swan’s heart? He remembered the day that he knew for sure that it was torn down. Last year when they laid on the roof of their apartment building where he’d arranged a picnic for the two of them and they were cuddling on the blanket, enjoying the last warm evening before fall really started to become chilly. He’d been tracing lazy patterns on her skin and had pointed out Cygnus and recounted the tales of Leda and Orpheus, both associated with the constellation that shared her name.  
When he looked down at her to say something cheesy, but true about gladly going to hell and back for her, the words had stuck in his throat when he saw the look in her eyes. He blinked and it was gone. But for a moment, he saw overwhelming love reflect in her eyes and it stole his breath away. That was when he knew she felt as he did. She made a remark about the absurdity of Greek myths, but agreed that Hades seems to get a bad rep if he allowed Orpheus the chance at getting his girl back. He’d returned the banter effortlessly, but his heart had been hammering in his chest. He’d been at peace with her walls, had taken them as a given. Loving her was enough for him.  
And he knew that she cared, that what they had was real and brilliant and so much more than just a crush. But it wasn’t until that moment that he thought that she might actually say it out loud one day.  
It’d taken another year before he caught her trying to articulate her feelings. They’d been dancing in their living room. Dave and MM were off doing their own thing that night and they were just poking fun at Disney movie tropes. He was waltzing her around the room to his own iteration of ‘This is Love and she’d been laughing. When he dipped her down, their eyes had met and time had stopped. She’d stroked his cheek gently and as he pulled them both back up she’d been about to say something when they were both rudely pulled away from their moment by their neighbor singing loudly along to ‘Eye of the Tiger as they left their apartment.  
“Then… When?” he asks carefully, not wanting to push her, or give her the wrong impression somehow. She turns and kisses him sweetly. He lets himself melt into it. One hand cupping her cheek while the other rests on her hip. It’s a gentle dance between them they’ve become rather good at.  
“Ahem,” They both look up and see Dr. Hopper, Emma’s professor and mentor looking rather amused.  
“I’m afraid I’ll need to borrow Miss Swan from you, Mr. Jones,” he tells them with a nod to the room.  
Killian catches the teasing glint in Emma’s eyes. She’d planned this. Payback for his ‘no time’ joke that morning. He smiles back at her and boops her nose.  
“Let me know when you’re done and we’ll meet you at Granny’s,” he tells her.  
“Okay, thanks again, for everything,” she smiles, nervousness creeping into her voice.  
“You’ll do great. We’re all rooting for you,” he assures her.  
She smiles back and lays one last kiss on his cheek before following her mentor into the auditorium.  
Killian can’t wipe the smile of his face the entire ride to the airport. It’s little under an half hour drive.  
He should arrive about thirty minutes before the plane is scheduled to land. If everything goes perfect, he’ll have about an hour alone with Graham before Emma meets them for lunch.  
And surprisingly, everything goes well. There is no delay in traffic, the flight isn’t delayed, or not as much as one could expect, and the drive back goes smoothly as well.  
He’s glad he remembered to transfer the ring from his necklace to the velvet box before Graham walked through the gate. His mind is all over the place. He can hardly wait until he and Emma have another moment alone. He has half a mind to skip the party so they can just be together after leaving lunch with Graham. He’s staying with an old friend or something.  
“You look in a good mood,” Graham observes as Killian parks in the university parking lot.  
“Summer’s upon us. I have an exciting project coming up. And I happen to have the most amazing girlfriend in the world… Don’t tell Dave I said that,” he grins sheepishly. Graham chuckles.  
“Oh, to be that young again… I’m happy Emma has you,” he tells him. Suddenly the nerves set in. He gives Graham a tight smile and gets out of the car.  
“She’ll meet us in a few hours at Granny’s… How about a walk?” he suggests.  
Graham gets out and nods, not catching onto his change in mood.  
Killian leads Humbert to the park and tries his best to follow along with the small talk.  
But the box in his pocket is never far from his mind.  
“Listen… Chief Humbert…”  
“Oh, that sounds serious. You haven’t called me that in years,” Graham grins teasingly.  
“Well… It is… You know I love Emma,” he starts.  
“And she loves you, she’s made that very clear to me.” Killian almost asks but he’s afraid he’ll lose his nerve if he gets side tracked.  
“Yeah. And we’ve been together for a long time now. Living together for most of it,” he points out.  
Graham nods his face now serious. “I know…”  
“And you are important to her. She might not call you dad, but you are the closest thing she’s had to that, even before you took her in. You were the one she turned to when she was in trouble. So I know it would mean the world to her…” he takes out the box and Graham’s eyes widen.  
“It would mean a lot to me… Can I have your blessing to ask Emma for her hand in marriage?”  
God, he’s terrified. What if he says no?  
Graham looks up at Killian, his face showing complete awe.  
“Killian, of course, of course you… Yes. Yes you have my blessing,” he smiles breathlessly as he pulls Killian in for a hug. “Now let me see what you got her?” He urges him as he lets go. Killian laughs in relief and opens the box. “It was my mother’s… I thought she might like the whole heirloom thing…” he explains sheepishly, suddenly wondering if he should’ve gotten a new ring after all. He’d looked, but nothing felt as right as the idea of her wearing the runic ring with the green stone.  
“I’ve had it resized to fit her…” he starts sheepishly.  
“She’ll love it,” Graham assures him with a pat on the back.  
“Man… I’ll need to get my act together or I’ll spill the beans.” Graham is grinning so wide you’d think he’s the one getting hitched.  
“I’m really happy for you, Killian. Emma deserves… Well. She deserves things going right for her. You both do,” he tells him.  
“I was planning to ask her after graduation… I might not be able to wait though,” he admits. Now that he had Graham’s blessing, he kind of wants to go down on one knee the second he sees her. But she deserves more than that. She deserves a romantic evening leading up to a lovely scenery and a promise of his everlasting devotion to her happiness before he pops the question.  
And he’ll be damned if he denies her that.  
“I’ll be expecting her call soon then,” Graham winks teasingly.  
They spend the next hour reminiscing about the past and before he knows it he finds himself sitting at Granny’s being served his and Emma’s usuals as well as Graham’s order by Mary.  
“So, was she nervous?” she asks, looking rather jumpy herself.  
“Not at all,” Killian assures their friend. “She’s as prepared as she can be.”  
“You’re right… Emma’s got this…” she says, more to herself than anything else.  
Before he can ask their friend what is bothering her she is called to another table and his phone buzzes. He checks and finds that it’s Emma. “She’s on her way,” he tells Graham with a grin.  
Summer has officially started.  
Emma is ecstatic when she joins them. Seeing Graham again, feeling good about how she did on her exam and looking forward to their summer plans. It all contributes to the bright smile on her face. The reunion is amazing to see and whatever has Mary Margaret so tense today seems to melt away when she and Killian see Emma hug her foster father and sit at his side to catch up on things.  
They stay at the diner longer than intended. Eventually Killian has to insist they head out. He’s made reservations at their favorite Italian place to celebrate together before the party starts and they should go home to get ready.  
“So what do you think?” he asks David as he walks into the living room dressed to the nines. His hair carefully styled. His beard trimmed to perfection. But still, he’s not sure. Should he wear a tie? No, he doesn’t even own a tie.  
Tonight isn’t even ‘the’ night. Still, he wants to make her feel special. And in order to do that, he needs to show he put in extra effort.  
Dave and Mary look up from their conversation over the kitchen table.  
“You look great,” Dave assures him with a slightly nervous smile.  
“She’ll love it,” Mary adds, also looking tense again.  
He’s about to ask if they feel alright, but then Emma calls from the bathroom for Mary Margaret’s help. The petite woman hurries to her friend’s aid. Leaving Killian and Dave on their own.  
“You okay mate? You and Mary have been acting off all day… Come to think of it, you weren’t all yourself last night either…” Killian observes.  
David shrugs with an attempt at a careless chuckle. “Just end of the year jitters, you know?”  
Killian looks at him doubtfully. He’s seen them have end of the year jitters before. This wasn’t that.  
“Seriously. Things are just… Different. MM is going to be working next fall and so are we, in a sense. Things are… progressing…”  
Killian is still doubtful, but he accepts that Dave doesn’t want to talk about it to him.  
“Well… Alright… But you’d tell me if something was wrong, right?”  
Dave chuckles. “Of course, Killian. You are like a brother to me… And Emma’s become like a little sister.” The smile on his friend’s face is genuine this time, even if there is still tension.  
Killian sighs and drops the subject reluctantly.  
“By the way, congratulations on becoming a Yank,” Dave grins, effectively distracting him from any less pleasant thoughts.  
“Thank you. When your letter came in before mine, I got a little nervous, I’ll be honest, but now…” He sits himself beside David at the table and pulls out the box. “Now, I can move forward.”  
“You’re telling me…?” Dave asks breathlessly.  
“Got Graham’s blessing earlier today... I plan to ask her after graduation… But I might be unable to wait that long,” he grins before tucking the box away.  
“But… Should she say yes… I hope I can count on you to be by my side?”  
David sits up at attention. “Do you mean…?” he asks, his eyes gleaming with unshed tears.  
“Well, who else am I going to ask to be my best man?” he shrugs a bit dismissively.  
Before David can answer though Mary skips inside.  
“Your lady awaits!” she announces with a beaming smile.  
Killian gets up and walks over to the bedroom door where he sees Emma look up at him nervously. She looks gorgeous. A light blue dress swishing just above her knees, her hair half up in a braided crown, dark blue high heels, glossy lips… God, she’s beautiful.  
“I’m not taking you to any party like this,” he finds himself saying. “I wouldn’t survive the night.”  
Emma looks down a little embarrassed. “Well, I’ll have to fight off the women trying to hang off off you tonight,” she counters. “So it’s only fair.”  
He closes the distance between them and kisses her. It’s gentle and sweet. An unspoken ‘I love you’.  
“Let’s go,” he whispers as he takes her hand and leads her outside.  
“See you later,” he tells their friends.  
“Have a nice evening,” Emma ads.  
“Careful, you two!” Mary calls after them, again sounding weirdly tense.  
They take the elevator down. Emma isn’t wearing the right shoes for stairs.  
“So, they are acting weird, right?” Emma inquires. So it wasn’t just him.  
“Did you manage to get MM to talk about why that is?”  
“David insisted nothing was wrong too, huh?”  
They both chuckle at that. “Well… Knowing Mary Margaret, she won’t be able to keep it a secret for long anyway. I give it until tomorrow,” Killian reasons.  
“If she has anything to drink tonight, we’ll know before midnight,” Emma counters as she heads to the garage. Killian pulls her back by her elbow.  
“Not so fast love. I arranged for a ride,” he grins as he leads her outside where a cab is waiting for them.  
“Planning to live dangerously tonight, huh?” Emma grins.  
“I don’t want to pay attention to anything other than us and having a good time tonight. Not even driving to the restaurant,” he tells her as he lets her inside. The driver already knows where to drop them off, around what time to pick them up again and where the party is. Neal’s party is just around the corner, so if they want, they can walk back tonight.  
He spends the ten minute drive to the restaurant looking at Emma and smiling like an idiot.  
How did he get so lucky?  
“Milady.” He bows as he lets her inside the establishment earning him an affectionate eye roll. They are greeted by someone who ushers them to their seats once he asks for the reservation under the name Swan-Jones. Emma beams at him when she hears that. He too likes the sound of it.  
“So,” he starts as he puts down his menu when he’s decided what he wants to order.  
“So,” she parrots with a mischievous glint in her eyes, knowing what is on his mind. She nods to herself and folds her menu too.  
“How about,” he suggests as he takes her hands in his. “I tell you about the reasons I love you, and you tell me about when you realized you love me in return,” he offers.  
“You first,” Emma encourages him.  
At that moment their drinks arrive and they give the waiter their order. The house lasagna for him, the chef’s special pasta for her and a bottle of red wine to share.  
“Alright,” he starts slowly as he sips from his rum and coke.  
“I remember when you caught my eye. You walked into the room with such a presence. You were focused and confident. You walked straight to the bar, a vision for no one else’s benefit but your own. You weren’t looking to be seen. I admired it then. And now, I love that you don’t give a damn about what people think about how you look. And as a result, you always look gorgeous.”  
Emma smiles. “When you asked me out the first time… You had this whole thing about wanting to explore what you felt that first evening before either of us got nervous about messing up our friendship… The problem was, I was already nervous about that. So I asked for some time to think. I talked it over with Mary. I knew that she would encourage me to go. And she pointed out that I wanted to be convinced to go even if I asked her to tell me the reasons why it was a bad idea.”  
They both laugh at the idea of MM ever advocating against romance.  
“And I realized that me trying to convince myself that I didn’t like you that way, was probably a good indicator that what I felt was more than just ‘like’. So, I took a leap of faith and called you to accept.”  
She sits back and nips at her martini. It’s not the end of her story. But he knows that she’s building up to something.  
“Speaking of our first date, I absolutely loved that dress. I loved getting to know the softer side to you and it was that night, that I realized that I was falling head over heels in love with you.” He holds Emma’s gaze captive with his own as he speaks. “My favorite discovery of that night was that the ass kicking fury I’d met that first night, can be as bashful as a schoolgirl when a gentleman pays her a compliment.”  
He finally lets go of her gaze, though he lets his eyes linger on the rosy color on her skin before taking another sip.  
“You always managed to do that. You come upon a wall, take a good look at it, and you never tried to take them down. But… It’s like you always found a door I didn’t even know was there.  
And that evening… For brief moments at a time you made me forget about the reasons they were ever there in the first place. And you never made me want to run… I kept waiting for that I think. For the moment where something would happen that would make me run.”  
Killian sits up at attention. She’s not just telling him about when she realized her true feelings, she’s explaining why it took her so long to say it, show it even.  
“I thought… If that moment comes, and I stay, if you manage to make me stay anyway… Then I’ll know?” She shakes her head. She’s about to say more but then the waiter arrives with their dinner and wine. As he leaves with their empty glasses Killian smiles up at her comfortingly.  
“Looks good,” he offers. Emma smiles grateful that he doesn’t press her to continue right away as they both dig in.  
“You never put up with anyone’s BS. Least of all mine. ‘I’m fine,’ just doesn’t fly with you. I love that. You take care of those you love whether they like it or not. I just wish you’d make it easier for us to do the same for you,” he teases with a wink.  
She bites her lip a little embarrassed. She knows she can be a bit stubborn about her independence. She has a better understanding about the why since she’s been talking with a professional about the issues the past year. Dr. Hopper encouraged her to do so and she can’t say she’s regretted it.  
It’s those conversations that have helped her take the steps forward in her and Killian’s relationship.  
“When… Last year…” Killian nods, indicating he knows which event she is referring to.  
“You had a really bad nightmare and… When you woke up and I calmed you down you started crying into my shoulder. You said… You begged me not to leave you. I assured you I wouldn’t and I was so surprised at how true those words felt. And then you said something about you’ve lost everyone you loved. That you couldn’t lose me too.”  
Killian doesn’t know what to say to that. He doesn’t remember that. His nightmares of that time often had him disoriented and exhausted. He rarely remembered much.  
“It wasn’t ‘I love you’ but the intention behind it was clear.” She smiles at him.  
“And that is when I realized, that I should’ve wanted to run a hundred times over by now. There were plenty occasions where I usually would have bolted, but I never did. I realized then that I love you. And I realized when it was that you won me over.” She takes another bite.  
He takes his cue. “You always give as good as you get. I love that we can banter and that you never shy away from an innuendo or two. You keep me in check. You make me a better man every day.”  
The look in her eyes makes it clear that she’d kiss him if that wasn’t physically impossible right now.  
She settles for touching his foot with hers.  
“Our first movie night… Dave and Mary had fallen asleep and we were making fun of tropes together… And next thing I knew I woke up in the middle of the night in your arms and… I just settled in again and fell back asleep. That was the first time I should’ve wanted to run, but didn’t. I liked being there, with you. I love making fun of cheesy movies and old myths with you. I love having cram sessions together. I love how we find ways to go on adventures together but can also just lay on the couch all evening and have a blast. I love that you can switch between old timey gentleman and modern pirate at the drop of a hat. I love that you make me feel braver than I ever knew I could be.  
You push me to be my best.” She puts down her cutlery and reaches for his hands which he offers to her at once. She intertwines their fingers and looks him in the eye. “You make me better too,” she whispers.  
He smiles, brings her left hand to his and kisses her knuckles. “I love you, Emma Swan. Every single part of you. And every day, I count myself lucky to have you by my side.”  
He almost asks her then. But he controls himself. This is too public. She’d never forgive him.  
He casts his eyes to her plate. It’s empty, as is his.  
“Do you want dessert?” he asks. He can call the cab to delay their ride. But she shakes her head, so there’s no need. “Alright,” he smiles as he signals the waiter for the bill.  
“Let me guess. I’m not allowed to pay a cent?” she grins.  
“Damn straight, you’re not. Tonight is my turn. Next one can be yours,” he promises. It’s an agreement he’s made with her. The one who plans the date, pays for the date.  
“Alright… then I call graduation,” she says decidedly. He nods. It doesn’t matter who plans the evening. So long as he gets her alone for a few moments at the end of the night.  
He pays and leads her outside where they still have a few minutes before their ride is set to arrive.  
He wraps his left arm around her waist and lays his right hand gently along her jaw.  
“You, are the first person who I felt comfortable enough with to really talk about my father. Even David doesn’t know everything about that time. I love that you look at me without judgement for my worst times, my worst decisions and instincts,” he tells her before angling her face towards him and kiss her. The moment continues for an infinity and then a car horn drags them away from their little bubble.  
They untangle themselves from one another, but Emma takes his hand in hers as they walk over to the car. “You still want to go to the party? We can just bail and go home instead?” he suggests. He doesn’t feel like socializing tonight. What he wants is to watch a movie with his friends.  
“Let’s show our face for a bit at least. If it’s lame then we can still leave,” she suggests  
Killian sighs. She is right. He’d even confirmed that morning. Not going would be more than a little rude.  
They get in the car and spend the ride to Neal’s apartment discussing the roadtrip they’d planned with Mary and David for the summer. Killian insists they should have costumes for their visit to Disney. Not of any known characters, but random people that might dwell in the worlds of stories.  
They are laughing at his suggestion for a dashing pirate character to her warrior princess when they pull up in front of the building.  
“Have you ever been to his apartment?” Emma wonders.  
Killian thinks back. “No,” he realizes. He’s known Neal for almost six years, having met him about two months into his first semester at NYU. And he’d never been here. To be fair, he’d never invited Neal over to his place either, but that’s because they’d all agreed not to bring people in that the others didn’t know. And until last winter, Neal had never actually met David and Mary Margaret.  
They’d gotten along well enough, but… come to think of it, their interactions were always a little tense. Could they sense that he and Neal had a complicated friendship?  
“Top floor, right?” Emma asks, pulling him out of his musings. They are in the elevator.  
“Uh, yeah…” he nods as he watches Emma press the button. “Wonder if MM and Dave are here yet,” he mused. Emma shrugs. “I’d be surprised if they showed up. I think Neal mostly invited them to be polite.” Killian nods in agreement. “They’ve never been the partying type,” he reasons.  
They’d never had a definitive answer from their friends about whether they’d come or not and with everything else Killian hadn’t thought to ask again today.  
The elevator dings and he steels himself.  
Neal isn’t a threat to him. Doesn’t even want to be. But ever since that first meeting, he feels uneasy whenever his friend crosses paths with his girlfriend.  
FIVE YEARS AGO, NEW YORK HARBOR.  
“You’re sure your boss won’t mind?” Emma asks nervously.  
“He insisted, Luv. I’ll have to captain the ship for most of the afternoon, but you have fun. And tonight, we can take a tour of the harbor with just the two of us. It’ll be fun,” he promises her as he helps her aboard Gold’s yacht. It was a massive thing honestly. As private yachts go at least. On deck, there was an infinity pool as well as a Jacuzzi, several seating areas, a home theater, a surround sound system and other bells and whistles Killian had yet to discover. The steering cabin in itself had many comforts and extras. And that was all without the mini kitchen and massive salon set up below deck.  
“Mr. Jones, glad you could make it. And this is the lovely Emma, I presume?” Gold greets as he approaches them with Milah on his arm. The woman looks like she isn’t feeling up to the planned afternoon activities.  
“Indeed,” Killian nods. “Emma, this is Mr. Gold and his wife Milah,” he introduces her.  
Emma nods politely as she shakes the man’s hand. “That’s a lovely necklace,” Gold observes, curiously intrigued by Emma’s pendant.  
“Uh, thanks… It’s just some old trinket,” she states dismissively. Killian squeezes her hand. He knows it’s more than that.  
“Not everything is a long lost treasure, Rob,” Milah sighs exasperated.  
Emma turns her attention to the woman with a relieved smile. “It’s really nice to meet you Mrs.  
Gold. I was worried I’d be the only lady on a ship full of testosterone,” she smiles. Milah perks up at that and takes Emma in again. “I’m sure my husband’s associates have girls with them more your age,” she offers a little apprehensive.  
“But can those girls hold a conversation? And I mean a real conversation,” she points out.  
Milah’s smile becomes less guarded. “I like you, Swan. You have fire.”  
Emma takes Milah over from Gold and the two talk as the hostess shows her around on deck.  
“She is really something. Milah usually hates these events. I wouldn’t bring her if I didn’t have to, but as a host, I’m expected to show off the wife and son,” Gold muses, his eyes distant.  
“Speaking of which, where is Neal? He’s usually the first to greet me?” Killian asked.  
“He’s below deck sulking over a broken heart, I’m afraid. Could you talk to him? Milah and I both have tried everything we could think off.” For the first time since Killian met the entrepreneur, he saw him look unsure.  
“Of course, I have to bring my and Emma’s picnic for tonight down there anyway,” he agreed.  
Once down in the ‘living quarters’ of the ship as Gold called it, he indeed finds Neal sulking at the dinner table.  
“Don’t mind me, mate, just dropping off some things,” he assures the older student while he walks to the kitchen. Or well. It was more a corner reserved for a big fridge and an oven. He opened the fridge and was happy to see that Gold had already reserved a space for his things. The man could be very considerate when he wanted to be. Or maybe this was his way to make up for hijacking his and Emma’s anniversary celebration.  
He puts away his things and looks over at Neal, though he pretends to be looking at the bottom of the pool. If Emma were to decide to take a dive now, he had told her to bring her bathing suit, then they’d be able to see her take laps from here. He isn’t sure if she will while there are other people around but he kind of hopes to see the open ceiling concept in action when they have the place to themselves.  
Back to Neal however, he hasn’t moved an inch. Killian sighs and grabs two beers from the fridge and walks over to him.  
“You’re too young,” Neal argues.  
“I’ve drank stronger stuff than this back home, mate, but if you are really against it then I won’t share a beer with you. But you look like you need one,” he insists.  
“Better not drink and drive or whatever,” the millionaire’s heir decides after a moment, but he accepts the beer. Killian concedes and puts his pint away. It’s ridiculous to him, but when in Rome... Besides, Neal has a point. Last thing he wants is to steer them into the Statue of liberty.  
“Permission to ask what’s buggering you?” he tries.  
“My father sent you down?” Neal asks.  
“He did. But that’s not why I’m asking,” Killian tells him like it’s a promise.  
Neal looks up at him and after a moment he allows himself a small nod.  
“Her name’s Tamara… I thought she was… Real, you know? But then I found out she is obsessed with my dad for some reason.” Neal shakes his head and takes a long swig from his beer.  
“Can’t say I expected that one,” Killian confesses. Being the son of the most successful businessman in New York probably brings a lot of fakers into your life, but this was a new level of crazy.  
“That’s why I like hanging out with you you know? You don’t give a damn about who my dad is. He signs your check, but you tell him when he’s being unreasonable and shit. You just… You are you and if you didn’t like me you’d say that to my face. There’s too little people like that in my life right now,” Neal confesses.  
“Well if you want to add one to that short list, Emma’s here. She doesn’t have the patience for fake either. Wanna come up?” he suggests. Neal chuckles and nods. “Sure, let’s go meet that girlfriend you don’t shut up about,” he agrees.  
Killian had not expected to find Emma pinning one of Gold’s associates to the ground. Everyone around them was staring in awe  
“Killian! Good. Grab my phone and call Marcus.”  
“Your guy at the precinct? Why?” he asks baffled as he sits beside her to do as she asks.  
“Check the tat on his wrist,” she breathes, still jacked on adrenaline. “It’s him.” Killian sits beside her as he finally manages to retrieve her phone from her purse. He glances to the man’s bared wrist and sees the sparrow tattoo. Emma’s been having nightmares of that particular bit of ink for a good part of the year.  
“Wait, you spotted the guy who nearly killed your mentor, and you proceeded to tackle him?” he gasps. The way the man curses proves to him that this was not an honest mistake. This was the mark she and her mentor chased down during Emma’s early days as a bails bonds person. It was just to grab some extra cash on top of waiting tables at Granny’s.  
It was her last night before she’d start going in alone and Killian had nearly begged her to quit when he heard what had happened.  
“Miss Swan! Care to explain yourself?” Gold seethed.  
“Whoever you think he is, he’s not him,” Emma starts. “He’s a wanted con man and was most likely planning to rob you for half your net worth. A few ‘sound investments’ in his shell companies and by the time you realize you are not getting your money, he’s already disappeared. My mentor and I almost had him last fall after he skipped on his bail, got pinned for tax stuff. Police didn’t realize his true dealings until they investigated him further. Asshole didn’t want to be taken in and tried to shoot at us. My mentor almost died that night. And you,” she continues as she turns her attention back to the conman. “are now going to jail for a lot more than just tax fraud and a few cons.”  
Killian had finished the phone call and helped Emma get the man over to the railing so they could tie him to it with the strongest knots he’d learned during his many years of sailing.  
“He’s an honest to god sailor, so you won’t be getting out of these any time soon,” Emma promises her mark with a victorious glint in her eyes. It’s in that moment that Killian looks up and sees Neal’s awed face. When their eyes meet, he looks ashamed and guilty. Well bloody Hell.  
PRESENT, NEW YORK CITY PENTHOUSE  
“Killian! Emma! You made it!” Neal greeted as he led them inside, grinning broadly. The penthouse was full of college students having a great time it seemed. The music was good, there was a nice variety of snacks and drinks laid out and the dance floor was full.  
“Wow, you sure know how to throw a party,” Emma compliments, straining her voice to be heard over the music.  
“Well… I’m kinda making it my job. So I sure hope I do,” Neal joked awkwardly.  
“I’ll be right back with drinks. You want something mate?” Killian offered. Maybe he was overcompensating by showing blind trust in his friend to ease his guilt over the uneasiness he felt in his stomach right now.  
“Get me another beer, we’ll be on the balcony. I want to catch up with you two without shouting.”  
Killian nodded and looked at Emma who gestured that she’ll have the same they’re having.  
He planted a quick kiss to her cheek before leaving in search for some drinks. Ignoring Neal leading Emma to the balcony. They’d be alone for two minutes. What could go wrong?  
“Wow, that is a view,” Emma sighed as she looked out over the city from Neal’s balcony.  
“Well… Yeah… Listen, Emma. We don’t have much time, but I want to get this off my chest now. I know you and Killian are happy and I’m not trying to make some grand gesture to make you change your mind. This is me being honest about my feelings and knowing that you don’t feel the same.  
But I have had feelings for you from the day we met, and trying to ignore them or force them away hasn’t worked, so I’m hoping that having said it will. There. Now you know.”  
Emma blinked in surprise. Well… What to say to that?  
Truthfully, if she’d met Neal before she got together with Killian, she would have gone out with him. He was fun and surprisingly, he seemed to understand her in ways she didn’t expect someone born with a silver spoon could. But Killian was… Well they’d spent their evening listing the reasons they loved each other. So even then, she would’ve chosen Killian in the end. Still, she knew how hard it was to open up about how he felt. Knowing that he’d be rejected.  
“Neal… Thank you. For understanding that I can’t return your feelings,” she said, unsure what she can do to lessen the blow. Neal is asking for closure and Emma knows how important that can be. If she could know anything about the people who’d left her with not much more than the swan pendant and a name, she’d pay almost any price. It isn’t exactly the same, but still.  
Neal shrugs and smiles awkwardly at her. “Thanks for not running off to Killian and leaving right away.”  
“Was that your worst case scenario?” she asks, trying to lighten the mood with a chuckle and a smile.  
“Oh, no. Worst case is you hitting me in the face and Killian throwing me off the balcony.” He is exaggerating and Emma allows a laugh to escape her.  
Before things can go back to awkward, Killian finds them on the balcony.  
“Sorry, mate, but we have to cut the evening short, I’m afraid,” he tells their friend.  
Worry overtakes Neal’s face. “What? Why?”  
“There is a succubus present and she has yet to learn the word no it seems. Again, my apologies.”  
Emma’s eyes narrow at that. “Which one?” she growls.  
“Emma, darling, it’s alright. She made it clear that her father is some investor,” Killian explains.  
Neal sighs in frustration. He doesn’t know who exactly Killian is referring to, but that doesn’t really make a difference. “I’m sorry I had to invite her. You shouldn’t have to leave just because she is a spoiled brat.” He’d really hoped to have at least two genuine people at this party to hang out with for a little. Now he’d have to spend the whole night playing representative of Baelfire.  
Not that he minds, he is very excited to start working. He just wanted to be able to be himself with someone tonight as well. Who decided that when you host a party you can’t have any real fun?  
Someone who is determined to enforce that rule, that’s who.  
“Sorry, Neal. We’ll catch up some other time alright?” Emma assures him as she gives him a quick hug goodbye.  
“I’ll hold you to that,” he assures them as he shakes Killian’s hand and waves them off.  
He takes in a deep breath and puts on his ‘pleasant host’ face.  
“You know, I don’t hate that we have an excuse to leave early. It really wasn’t my kind of party. I felt underdressed. I’m pretty sure everyone there was wearing some kind of diamonds in some way,” Emma reasons as they make their way back to their apartment building.  
“You and me both. But if I get a job at the university I’ll have to go to fundraiser parties like this one all the time, with no shot of getting out early,” Killian sighs, already hating the idea.  
“Are you saying this would’ve been good practice if not for little miss wants-to-be-a-siren?” she asks.  
“Maybe, I don’t regret leaving though. As I stated, I’ll have to spend plenty of nights being somewhere I don’t want to be with people I don’t care for. Now, I can be around the ones who really matter.” He grins at her as he presses a kiss to her temple.  
They reach their building in comfortable silence.  
“Want to watch Princess Bride?” Emma suggests as they make their way up the stairs.  
“Only if I can get into something more comfortable first,” he tells her.  
“I don’t know. There is something about watching a romcom on the couch drinking cheap wine and eating chips from the bag while also being dressed for a gala,” she counters, clearly joking. They laugh at the mental image as they open the door.  
“Hey, we’re…” Emma cuts herself off as her eyes take in the room and they both blink several times, desperately wanting the scene in front of them to make more sense


	4. one of those stories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When your world gets turned upside down, how do you deal with that?

“I’m too sober for this,” is all Killian can manage. (Though he isn’t sure if he means he needs a drink to help process this or that he wishes he’d had enough to drink to just blame the alcohol.)  
Emma is equally at a loss for words. Her closest friends are standing in front of their couch with tear streaked faces, both dressed up nicely like they were about to defend their dissertation and had just had a nervous breakdown.  
Oh, and they are freaking glowing!  
When Emma and Killian entered, the glow disappeared and Mary dropped the mirror she and Killian had been laughing about that morning. Emma knew, without a doubt she saw it glow lime green before it hit the table. When it does, it breaks and purple smoke cascades over the table. This… Is just too much.  
“What the hell is going on?” Emma demands.  
Mary and David look at each other as if hoping they can find the answer in the other’s eyes.  
“You were glowing, and that mirror did some magic smoke thing… and why are you crying?” Emma continues.  
Mary looks at her, guilt evident on her face.  
“We… haven’t been honest with you about our past,” she starts.  
“I got that far myself, luv,” Killian assures her, pulling Emma closer to his side, feeling strangely comforted by the fact that she is as freaked out as he was.  
“You might want to sit down for this,” David suggests as he points to their usual spots on the couch.  
Emma and Killian wordlessly follow his instructions.  
Once they are all seated, David takes a deep breath.  
“I wasn’t born in England, and Mary Margaret wasn’t born in Boston… We weren’t exactly born on earth - not the way you’d be thinking off anyway,” he starts.  
Emma and Killian nodded, forcing themselves to listen a bit longer before they started firing off questions.  
“If you want to be very specific, I wasn’t born at all,” Mary adds.  
“We… Well… You know my parents as Ares and Aphrodite,” David rushes through his revelation.  
“And I was sculpted by the twins Artemis and Apollo.” Mary closed her eyes and shrunk away in anticipation of their reaction.  
“Hold on…” Killian mutters, unable to hold back any longer, as he turns to David. “Are you Eros, Himeros, Phobos or Deimos?”  
“Well… Technically I’m both Phobos and Eros. I am fear for loved ones getting hurt and romantic love. My brother, James, is Himeros and Deimos. He’s desire as well as fear for your own survival.”  
Killian nodded to himself. “So that is why you always freak out about us being safe,” Killian concludes. Trying to compartmentalize. Not thinking too much about how crazy the situation is right now.  
David smiles sheepishly at Killian and nods.  
“Eros… Wait, didn’t he marry Psyche?” Emma asks, trying to remember the legend Killian told her once.  
“As Killian has mentioned countless times before, not everything about us has survived the millennia since our tales were first written down. And even then, mortals usually don’t get the entire story right. Sometimes they even make up parts or entire stories. Before you ask, most gods aren’t as related as your professors would have you believe,” David assures them.  
“Okay. Good to know,” Emma nods. So not everything is exactly as it is in the myths. Noted.  
“So, we were what exactly?” Killian asks next, gesturing between himself and Emma.  
“If you are about to tell us we are demis or something like that, I promise, I am going to lose it,” Emma groans, closing her eyes and leaning into her boyfriend’s embrace.  
“No, you are both mortals… You just got swept up in a disagreement between me and Regina, a daughter of Demeter,” Mary Margaret explains.  
“Persephone?” Killian questions.  
“Well, no. Persephone, wife of Hades, is her sister. And she goes by Zelena these days. Some of us like to update our names,” David clarifies.  
“Okay… But what has that to do with you appearing in our lives?” Emma asks.  
“Well…” Mary clutches David’s hand in hers in search of support.  
“A thousand years ago, Regina and I were friends. David and I were finally getting married.” There is a melancholy in her tone and tears start forming in her eyes as she recalls the day she is talking about. David chuckles at the memory and continues their story.  
“Artemis had a hard time with Mary not following in her example and my father wasn’t very interested in a marriage for love.” Clearly there is a long and epic story that leads up to their wedding day, but it will have to wait.  
“I assume your mother was all for it,” Killian deduces. Aprodithe. The goddess of love and beauty is his best friend’s mother. No. Not the time. He’ll freak out with Emma later, after they’ve heard the whole story.  
“She was ecstatic,” David nods. “It was the day of our wedding and Regina was of course invited, along with a mortal man she’s fallen in love with. Daniel was his name. It had been quite the chore to convince Cora - you know her as Demeter - to allow the relationship. She’s a little possessive of her daughters. But at last, the two were engaged and Daniel was set to be given a quest to achieve godly status. It was a wondrous ceremony and we had just finished our first dance when… When a chimera made its way past our defenses. It headed to us. We fought it off as best as we could and Daniel bravely came to our aid.”  
“He died didn’t he?” Emma realizes. Their friends nod sadly at that.  
“Regina blames us. She demanded we pay for her suffering. It was my friend, Heracles, who suggested ten labors of love. One every hundred years. Once accomplished, we got the rest of the century to spend in peace, until it was time to embark on another labor with the understanding that if we failed one, we could not be together, ever again.”  
Emma and Killian looked at each other. Imagining for a moment that they would have to live in constant fear of losing each other like that.  
“So… We are your last task?” Emma whispers, a little hurt as she realizes why Mary had been so insistent on befriending her.  
Mary nods, biting her lip. “We were tasked with each guarding over a mortal. My mother…”  
Killian shoots up. “Wait… Are you about to tell us that you’ve been in our lives… Our whole lives?”  
His answer comes in a flash of light and suddenly there are two different people in front of them.  
A woman with long curly raven hair and the beginnings of crow’s feet around her eyes. She seems to be in her early to mid-thirties.  
And an elderly man with thick brimmed glasses. Both look back at them with sad smiles.  
“You… You’re the old librarian,” Killian breathes in disbelief to which the older man, David, nods before shifting back to his younger self.  
Emma, on her part, is trembling and tears are streaming down her face.  
“Mom?” she gasps and Killian holds her closer, alert on any sign that she might want to approach the woman she now knows is both her best friend and only maternal figure she’s ever had.  
“I told you, I’d always love you,” she smiles sadly before changing back.  
“We understand that you are mad at us,” David starts calmly.  
“I haven’t gotten around to being mad yet. Trust me, when I get there I’ll let you know,” Emma mutters as she tries to process this. Her best friend is also her mother.  
How? How could she sit there as Emma confided in her about how she wants to find her again someday, worry about her, even panic when her searches the past few years reached dead end after dead end?  
“When she realized that caring for you brought me enough joy to outweigh how much I missed having David by my side, Regina sent CPS after us. David and I weren’t allowed to tell either of you anything or use our divine powers except to change shape and to build aliases. Regina had no such restrictions. After that first time… I couldn’t bear to lose you again like that, or to put you through such a separation again. So I kept a close eye on you. As a guardian angel. When I could, I was a substitute teacher, babysitter, fellow runaway even. And then when you turned sixteen, a classmate.”  
Looking back, Emma knows exactly who MM is talking about. The people in her life who’d been there in her lowest moments to inspire hope.  
She’d never been truly alone. She’s glad she’s sitting down. Killian too starts to put together which influences in his life were actually David in various disguises.  
“Killian… You should know that if I’d been able to save Liam or to ensure that your father didn’t go down that dark path, I would’ve. I tried my best, you must believe me,” David pleads, pain evident in his eyes.  
“I know, mate. You cared about Liam too,” Killian assures him.  
“We never forced anything upon you. We encouraged you to pursue your life goals and tried to suggest alternatives when we thought you were setting yourself up for heartbreak. I tried to dissuade you from finding me… But I couldn’t find a reasonable argument against it that wouldn’t break the rules. I’m so sorry,” Mary pleads.  
Emma goes over everything she’s just been told in her head and her eyes widen as she realizes something. “My parents… Do you…?”  
Mary shakes her head sadly. “My mother led me to the place I found you. All she ever told me is that she was asked to ensure your safety.”  
Emma feels herself tear up. “They wanted me safe? They loved me?” She feels Killian rub her shoulder in comfort.  
“So… Why tell us now? Other than the fact that we caught you using magic? Is your task over? Is our graduation the deadline or something?”  
Mary and David look at each other with dread on their faces before facing them again.  
“It… Wasn’t what we thought it was,” Mary explains. “We thought Regina’s plan was to make us grow attached to two mortals so we would eventually feel the pain of losing you after what to us would be only a short time. Forced to watch you grow old and wither away, while we are eternal. But tonight, she asked us… To do the unthinkable.”  
Emma and Killian feel a knot form in their stomachs. What would freaking gods consider unimaginable?  
David takes a deep breath, a tear escaping him. “She asked us to sacrifice you two for each other.”  
The silence after that lasted a second, but it felt like a lifetime.  
“We refused, of course,” David states firmly. “Even if I didn’t love you both like family, brother, sister, son and daughter,” he stresses. “Even if she asked us to kill two strangers, I wouldn’t stand for it,” he vows.  
“And neither would I,” Mary Margaret adds. “It is not who we are. It would defeat the whole point of these labors. Neither of us could ever face the other if we did something so abhorrent.”  
Emma shoots up at that, unable to sit down any longer. “But then that’s rigged! She should know you that well!” she exclaims in frustration before she starts pacing, feeling Killian’s eyes following her, waiting for some indication that she needs him back at her side.  
“The council is debating on the matter. We’ll hear their judgement after graduation,” Mary sighs.  
“You two shouldn’t worry. The gods are strangely invested in your lives at this point,” David assures them. “My mother has decided that you are her new favorite couple and is rooting for you two. I can’t imagine how pleased she was when you two said the words.” David smiles knowingly at Killian though there is a sadness to his face as well.  
Emma stops pacing and exchanges a long look with Killian. The two celestials wait with baited breath, ready for the yelling to start. Killian and Emma both have plenty of reason to be angry at them. They know how much they’ve been hurt in the past. To learn that their whole lives had been the subject of a squabble that had nothing to do with them… People lashed out for far less.  
“Okay…” Emma sighs as her posture relaxes, her face turning pensive. “So, we have about a week then... Should be enough,” Emma mutters. Kilian nods to himself. “Yes. Though it might be close. Good thing we kept the week free.”  
“Um, sorry… Time enough for what?” Mary Margaret asks confused.  
“Don’t tell me you two were just going to wait it out?” Killian scoffs. “We are going to speak out! It’s our lives after all.”  
Their friends paled at the very idea of the two mortals willingly provoking Regina. “Out of the question!” Mary exclaims in horror.  
“You could get hurt!” David points out.  
“We weren’t asking,” Emma states as she crosses her arms in front of her.  
“Mate, don’t you know us at all?” Killian chuckles as he gets up and stands next to his girlfriend, mirroring her firm posture.  
“We’re celestials, how do you plan on making us?” David points out as he too gets up and stares his friends down, immediately joined by his wife.  
Emma looks at Mary. “You won’t make me go through the pain of losing you a second time,” she reminds her.  
“That’s not fair!” David protests as he feels his partner shrink in on herself next to him. Clearly Emma hit her right in her Achilles heel.  
“You, of all people, should know, mate - all’s fair in love and war,” Killian points out before his expression softens. “I can’t lose any more family.”  
David and Mary look at each other, eyes desperate as they both hope the other can bring the courage to hold their ground. How did two mortals bring them to their knees like that?  
“At least stay until the morning,” Emma pleads gently. “After everything you owe us at least some more answers.”  
The god and goddess’ faces soften and they nod. “That seems reasonable,” David agrees.  
Killian and Emma relax. “Good,” Killian smiles. “We’re off to bed then. See you both in the morning?”  
He doesn’t mean for it to come out as a question, but his fear of never seeing either of them slips trough. And he is kind of happy it did, because the look on their faces as they nod in confirmation is so sincere that it lifts some of the weight that has settled on his chest.  
He grabs Emma’s hand and leads them to their bedroom.  
“What the hell?” Emma gasps as soon as the door closes behind her. Finally allowing herself to freak out.  
“Eros! My best mate is bloody Eros!” Killian gasps. “I’ve been ranting about ancient civilizations to someone who’s seen them grow and thrive!”  
“My parents asked a goddess to look after me,” Emma adds, still trying to wrap her head around that one.  
“Love, the mirror! We were messing around with it just this morning! What if… What if this Regina, a daughter of Demeter, saw us?” Killian realizes.  
“Don’t get me even started on that… And what did MM mean she was ‘sculpted’”  
“Perhaps she meant like Diana was made in Wonder Woman?” Killian offers absentmindedly, his mind already halfway to the fact that the goddess of love apparently took an interest in his love life.  
Emma sinks down on their bed. “We are some messed up reality show for the gods.”  
Killian joins her with a sigh. “Well… We just graduated to young adult novel it seems,” he points out.  
Emma chuckles despite herself. “Aren’t we about ten years too old for that?”  
“Well… Yes, I suppose... but other than that, the premise fits. Two people with relatively ordinary lives suddenly find out that they are up until their necks in the fantastical,” he summarized.  
“So… This was our call to adventure?” she guesses, recalling the structure of the hero’s journey Killian had used for one of his projects about Greek legends.  
“Let’s skip the refusal shall we?” Killian teases.  
“Well… Mary and David are the ones trying to do the refusing…” Emma points out.  
“You are right! So maybe they are the heroes and we are the goofy side characters?”  
“You can be goofy if you want to be, I’ll be over here being a capable, kick-ass, supporting best friend character,” Emma declares with a shove to his shoulder.  
“Both are at high risk of not making it out alive. Emotional stakes and all that,” Killian counters, though he isn’t as lighthearted about that prospect.  
“Never seeing us or each other again are already pretty heavy stakes though, aren’t they?” Emma mutters, now fully going with the analogy to deal with the situation. This isn’t her life. She got dropped into a book that followed rules and structures that she knows and can use to her advantage. And really, who is to say that this modern legend in the making isn’t going to follow the basic story structure?  
“You are right, we’ll be fine,” Killian agrees. They have to be fine. And once this craziness is over, they can go on with their own lives and forget any of this ever happened.  
“We should go to bed. Tomorrow is going to be a long day,” Emma sighs.  
Killian nods and they get ready for bed in silence, each going over their own lives and compiling a list of questions to ask tomorrow.  
Once they get under the covers, Killian pulls Emma to his chest.  
“It’ll be alright, love. No matter what else happens, I’ll be right by your side,” he promises.  
“I know… We’re going to get through this, together,” she agrees.  
“Together,” he echoes as they both drift off to sleep.  
The next morning, Emma and Killian walked into the kitchen to find their roommates waiting for them at the kitchen island. It wasn’t until that moment that Emma realizes that she had half expected to wake up and find them gone, not because she doubted them, but a lifetime of losing people can tend to screw your expectations a certain way. She can feel Killian relax next to her and knows she isn’t the only one.  
“Okay,” she nods as she and Killian join their friends at the kitchen table.  
“I assume that Madam Ghorm is some kind of celestial?” Killian starts.  
“A nymph,” David nods.  
“Graham… He knew you. Is he…?” Emma is too scared of the answer to finish her question.  
“Mortal, but he is a follower of my mother,” Mary explains.  
“So he knew?” Emma verifies.  
After a moment of tense silence, Mary nods.  
Emma gets up and takes out her phone, dialing a number.  
“Emma!?” She doesn’t stop to wonder how Graham sounds so excited to hear her this early and cuts to the chase. “You knew?!” She demands.  
“Knew what exactly?” he asks, confused by her tone.  
“Artemis!” She exclaims in frustration.  
“Oh…” It’s quite for a moment. “Emma… I kept an eye on you as a service to Her, but I took care of you and took you in because I cared about you… That is the truth. I have wanted to tell you the truth, or at least to let you know about my beliefs. I was… Strongly discouraged to do so by someone who wishes Lady Mary Margaret ill.”  
“This Regina woman, you mean? I got the cliffsnotes version,” Emma huffs, still a little hurt that her father figure had kept this secret as well.  
“Yes. I couldn’t risk losing you entirely, Emma. I’m sorry. I love you and I’m sorry that I had to keep this from you.”  
Emma runs a hand through her hair in frustration and looks back to the kitchen island where her eyes locked with Killian. And just like that she feels herself calm down.  
“Yeah… I know. I’ll call you later,” she sighs before hanging up. She hadn’t missed that Graham had said he loved her, something he never put in words because he understood that those words would freak her out. She knows she won’t be able to say it back. Yesterday, she might have dared because it is true. She loves Graham. He’d been so important to her. Today though, she feels too vulnerable to comfort her father figure with those three words. All she can do is assure him that she knows.  
She returns to her spot next to Killian and looks back at their friends.  
“None of your… People messed with our lives?” she asks sternly.  
Mary and David shake their heads firmly. “No. You always made your own choices. Some might give you opportunities, but the choice was always yours what to do with it.” The god of love and fear explains.  
Emma nods and looks at Killian.  
“I might be able to give a whole dissertation with all of the questions I have, but none that can’t wait until after we’ve resolved this.” Emma can’t help a smile as she sees the gleam of curiosity in Killian’s eyes. Of course her nerd would want to know all about the true history of the world. She can’t say she isn’t a little curious as well. But he is right. Now is not the time for that.  
Emma takes his hand on the table and squeezes it, exchanging a comforting smile with him before she faces their friends again. Time for the big stuff then.  
“Regina won’t rest until you two feel her pain, will she?” The way her friends’ eyes turn solemn, resigned even. She has her answer.  
“Then we better go talk some sense into her,” Emma concludes. She doesn’t even have to look at Killian to know that he agrees to this. The four of them, they are family. If this had been a more normal crisis, without a ‘we have been looking after you two your whole lives’ reveal, then they would have dropped everything to help their friends. As frustrated as they both feel about the secrecy, they can’t let them deal with this on their own.  
“You don’t have to. Yesterday, you were emotional, but we don’t expect you to…”  
“Emotions have nothing to do with this. You would do the same for us,” Emma states as though it’s a simple fact of life.  
“Fine!” Mary Margaret exclaims, frustrated after she and David spendt a moment looking between their friends for any sign that they might be persuaded to leave the issue be. They found none.  
“Just promise me, you’ll do as we say,” David pleads for the sake of his own sanity. “If we say run, you turn around and get away.”  
Killian and Emma chuckle. “It’s cute that you think that is even remotely likely,” Killian teases, sounding a lot braver than he feels. He is about to head into the unknown after all.  
“So, where do we find this lass?” he asks as he and Emma look at their friends expectantly.  
“Right now… She’ll be visiting her sister,” Mary starts, but that’s all she needs to say. Emma and Killian look at each other and state their destination as one. “Hades it is then.”


	5. So not putting up with this

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Killian and Emma never signed up for an epic adventure. And they definitely didn't sign up for putting up with celestial temper tantrums thank you very much.

“So, we take a boat ride down the river Styx right?” Emma asks, looking between her boyfriend and their roommates.  
“Oh, gods no!” Mary exclaims with a shiver. “That would be suicide,” David nods in agreement.  
“Is there a special visitors entrance?” Killian asks hesitantly, slightly afraid of unknowingly saying something stupid on a subject he should be knowledgeable about. It’s a strange disconnect. On one hand he has much more context for the world he and Emma are about to be tossed into, on the other it has already been established that his knowledge is biased and incomplete.  
“Well… Yes, but we can’t take that one without invitation and we have no time to wait for that,” David mutters with a frown.  
“We could use the servant’s entrance? It should bring us straight to the gate,” Mary Margaret points out, glancing nervously at the mortals in the room.  
“Servant’s entrance?” Emma asks looking at Killian hoping he has a clue what that might mean.  
“Well… You’ve both been already. Many times in fact. You just never knew it was there… Granny’s,” Mary explained.  
It took a few seconds before Emma and Killian processed that. “Excuse me? Do Granny and Red… Scratch that, of course they know. So what? Granny is some sort of… I don’t know Nyad?”  
“You mean Naiad love. They guard bodies of fresh water,” Killian reminds her.  
Emma shoots him a look that says ‘not my point’ and he gives her a sheepish smile and a shrug back.  
“Killian is right. Granny and Ruby are hellhounds. Or Ruby is. Granny retired a few centuries ago.”  
“Hellhounds!?” Killian and Emma exclaim in horror. That is the last thing they would’ve guessed. Furies perhaps, considering how tough Granny was and since they’d both seen how Ruby handled admirers that didn’t take no for an answer, but Hellhounds?  
“Not all the time. When they are above ground they are human. But once they descend, they turn,” David explained.  
Mary Margaret offers Emma a comforting smile and pats her hand reassuringly.  
“Ruby has wanted to tell you the truth ever since she met you. I’d say keeping the secret from you has been almost as hard on her as on me. And Granny feels rather protective of you as well. Your bond with them is genuine,” she promises.  
Emma frowns as she processes this. “Wait, but if they work for Hades…”  
Killian’s eyes widen. “Shouldn’t they be on Regina’s side of the conflict?” he finishes worriedly.  
“Hades only asks his servants guard his domain, he does not make them get involved in his politics.”  
David sounds so matter of fact that Emma and Killian conclude this is a well proven fact and not just based on blind trust in someone else’s code of honor. David wouldn’t take a chance with their safety, that much they knew to be true.  
“Okay then… Let’s get ready for a trip to the underworld. Do I dress warm or should I bring sun cream?” Emma jokes halfheartedly.  
“Should we dress formally? We are basically visiting a king in his castle after all,” Killian frowns more seriously.  
“Dress presentable. The temperature should be pleasant for us all as we are not dead,” David advises. His friends nod and leave to get ready.  
The second the door closes Mary Margaret collapses in her chair and drops her head in her arms on the table. David slumps back as well but manages to keep himself together enough to rub his wife’s back.  
“Did we do the right thing?” Mary wonders, voice muffled by her arms. “Letting them come along?” She finally lifts her head to look at her partner, though she doesn’t sit up.  
David thinks about it for a moment. “It’s better if we keep an eye on them ourselves. Who knows who might try to approach them with falls promises of aid if we leave them behind?”  
Mary shudders at that thought. She hates that Emma and Killian have caught the interest of so many people from their world. It puts them in so much danger. She takes a deep breath and sits a bit straighter, elbows resting on the table and her hands folded in front of her as she stares contemplative at a spot on the kitchen island.  
“Do you think they realize…” Mary Margaret bites her lip and shakes her head before starting over. “I feel like it hasn’t hit them yet.”  
David nods in agreement. “It seems like it. Time will tell I suppose.”  
“But what will it take? Where we’re going… You know how these things go. Chances are that the underworld is only the first stop on a perilous journey that will leave them forever changed,” she points out.  
David nods and takes her hand in his, pressing a kiss to it. “I know. But I have faith that they can come out of this stronger. You did wonderful with Emma. She is strong and determined. And I know Killian won’t allow for himself or Emma to come to any harm.”  
Mary nods at that. “So all that’s left is convincing Regina to give up on a millennium old grudge for the sake of two mortals she’s never met,” she concludes.  
“Hey,” David places his hand to Mary Margaret’s cheek and lifts her head so he can look at her.  
“Have you given up hope now?” he asks with a teasing smile, as though the answer was obvious.  
Mary rewards him with a small smile. “Of course not. But Emma and Kilian’s lives aren’t something I want to gamble on hope alone,” she argues.  
David nods. “Neither do I. But you, my dearest, my Psyche, my Elpis, know more than anyone that hope is more than just a gamble. It’s a strength. It’s what has allowed both Emma and Killian to thrive despite every obstacle the fates threw at them,” he reminds her before getting of his stool and pulling her gently along with him so he can embrace her. “They’ll be fine darling,” he promises, though he knows that such a promise might not be in his power to keep. Still the alternative is impossible for him to consider. He can take Killian hating him, blaming him for every bit of heartbreak. He feels like he deserves it. But to lose him… No. Never that.  
They must’ve stood there for a long time because suddenly they were pulled out of their bubble by someone clearing their throat and they looked up to find their friends dressed in comfortable, yet nice clothes.  
“Do you think Hades will see us like this?” Emma wonders, a coy smile on her face.  
Mary Margaret smiles fondly at her friend. Emma was never one to let herself be easily intimidated. Not by authority figures at least. In fact other than herself those first five years, Emma had only ever really seemed to trust Graham. She wonders if the trauma of their separation had something to do with that. As soon as the thought occurs to her she shuts out the memory. It’s been almost two decades and it still hurts. Normally twenty years would seem like nothing at all, but when it comes to pain, be it physical or emotional, even living with it for a minute can feel like a lifetime.  
“He’ll see us, and you are with us at our special invitation. Dressing up is merely as a sign of respect,” She assures them.  
The two mortals nod and take each other by the hand.  
“Well, let’s go to hell,” Emma smirked.  
Mary and David apparently had a personal entrance so they were already waiting on Killian and Emma when they arrived in the bug. Emma had suggested just using whatever magical portal they were using. The very idea of that made MM and David pale in terror and Killian guessed that they’d be taking their true forms to travel and that even if that wasn’t an issue, whatever power they were using was probably not safe for Mortals to be exposed to.  
So when they entered one of the other staff members waved them in.  
“Ems! Killian hey! Granny said to send you to the back. Something about vacation plans?”  
Emma smiled awkwardly. “Right, I just wanted to make sure everything checks out,” she explains as she and Killian went around the counter, into the kitchen and out trough the back into Granny’s living room.  
There they found a very awkward Ruby and a cautious Granny waiting for them along MM and David.  
“Mrs. Lucas, Miss Lucas,” Killian greeted formally as he stepped slightly in front of Emma. He knows it's irrational, he and Ruby were close. Granny more or less adopted them both as additional grandchildren. But still, the image of demonic dogs stood too sharp in his mind. He couldn’t bring himself to act as if the past twelve hours hadn’t happened. Ruby and Granny both flinched.  
“We’re not going to hurt you now that you know Killian,” Granny stated firmly.  
Ruby’s eyes flicker between Emma and Killian nervously. After a few seconds Killian looks back to his girlfriend and a short unspoken conversation passes between them. Then Emma takes his right hand in hers and wraps her left arm around his shoulders. “We know, Rubes, we just need some more time to get used to all of this,” she explains. Ruby bites her lip in contemplation and then nods.  
“Not to be rude, but we’d like to get going. The sooner we have this whole mess behind us, the sooner we can get to a new normal,” Killian points out.  
Ruby looks at Mary Margaret and David who nod in confirmation, missing the flash of annoyance that crosses Emma and Killian’s face. Had Ruby always sought the permission of their friends before agreeing with anything they suggested? Or were these special circumstances.  
“Alright, follow me,” the waitress/hellhound instructs as she leads the way to the basement door. She lets her hand hover over the doorknob for a second before taking a deep breath and pushing trough. Emma and Killian don’t see anything special, at least not right away. They follow Ruby down, their godly roommates following right behind them. The longer they walk down however the more otherworldly their surroundings seem. First the stairs just seem to go on for an unnaturally long time. Then they realize that the walls are no longer manmade. Then the last bit of artificial lighting fades away behind them fades away and a reddish glow starts to fade in from below. And soon after Emma realizes that Ruby is no longer the perky girl she’s known for the last few years.  
Instead there is a massive grey wolf trotting down the stairs with far more ease than any real quadrupedal creature would.  
She feels her breath catch and her step falters. She had been warned, but sill, seeing it… She feels Killian’s hand squeeze her shoulder from behind her and she glances back in appreciation. She’s not alone. He’s as freaked out by this as she is.  
“So,” Killian starts as they continue down the spiraling stairs. “Are all of our friends secretly mythical creatures, or is Ruby just a lone wolf?”  
“If I wasn’t worried about falling down these stairs I’d punch you for that one,” Emma huffs as she rolls her eyes.  
“Ah, well there’s a few others from our world who’ve shown up in your lives out of curiosity, but most of your friends are mortal and clueless,” Mary explains.  
Emma and Killian consider that for a moment. Wondering who else had been keeping secrets.  
Before they can ask though they arrive in front of a pair of golden gates, their wolf friend sitting besides it expectantly, and the question on the front of their minds became, “Do we just knock or…?” No one got the chance to reply to Emma’s question. The gate opened on it’s own and revealed…  
“Mr. Gold?” Killian exclaims in disbelief. His boss is a celestial being as well? The fact that their guide seems torn between running away and going for the well dressed entrepreneur’s troath didn’t bode well.  
“Mr. Jones, Emma,” Gold smiles pleasantly with a glint in his eye neither of them trust.  
“I assume you two have been made aware of the unfortunate predicament your friends found themselves in last night?”  
Mary Margaret and David wanted to dart out in front of their friends and shield them from Gold’s trickery. But as had been the case when Killian first started working for him, they found themselves unable to interfere.  
“We are. We’re here to set some things right,” Killian nods calmly as he pulls Emma into his side.  
“How brave of you, confronting a furious goddess armed with nothing but your good looks. Then again, those haven’t failed you before have they?”  
Killian’s jaw set. “If you are referring to Milah, she was drunk and I turned her away,” he informs him stiffly. He doesn’t miss the way Gold’s eyes dart to Emma’s face. Was he hoping to reveal a dirty secret? Why?  
“Did you kill her because she tried to kiss Killian?” Emma asks shocked, proving that she knows exactly what happened that night.  
Gold purses his lips thoughtfully. “Breaking a contract with a god is not without consequences. I didn’t have to do anything. She lost my protection the moment I lost her loyalty. Her guilty conscience and fragile heart did the rest.” He spoke so calmly about the circumstances of Milah’s death it made the hairs on Killian and Emma’s necks stand on end.  
“But back to you two. I could offer you some extra protection if you want?” Gold offered his hand his face a mask of polite interest, but his eyes sparked dangerously.  
“No thank you,” Killian stated without hessitation.  
“We’re good,” Emma agreed.  
Gold’s eyes drifted to her pendant and then back to her face. “Such a strong woman you’ve become miss Swan. Your parents would have been proud.” Emma is left speechless for a moment. And a moment is all Gold needs to disappear from sight.  
“Mind telling us who exactly I’ve been working for?” Killian growls annoyed, turning the both of them to face the gods who’ve just regained their ability to move, as soon as he makes sure Emma is okay.  
“And what does he know about my parents?” Emma adds as she grabs her pendant.  
“Son of Pan, student of the fates. He’s… extremely powerful and extremely dangerous. Those with the power to speak out against him have been given serious incentive not to do so. Believe me, we would have kept you both far away from him if we’d known he’d take that much of an interest in you. And I don’t know if he knows anything about your parents Emma. You can never tell with him.”  
Emma and Killian gave David’s words a minute to sink in, it felt like that was all they’d been doing since getting back from the party last night… The party.  
“Does Neal… Milah was mortal right? Does Neal know?” Killian asks.  
Mary Margaret shudders as a memory resurfaces. “The second you befriended Neal, Gold approached us and made it very clear that Neal was not to find out anything about his true heritage before he graduated. So I suspects he’s been told recently or will be told very soon,” she explains.  
“Okay… Fine, so we can start a club once we’re back. That’ll be fun,” Emma mutters as she and Killian turn back towards the gates, determine not to lose their shit, at least not until after they’ve spoken to the pissed off goddess who’s waiting behind the door. “Now, let’s sesame open this thing and get this over with.”  
And as if on cue the gate opened and the four friends entered, David and Mary taking the lead making their charges follow a few steps behind them. Emma cast Ruby a glance in passing and, while she is by no means an expert on reading a wolf’s expression, she thought she looked as though she wished them luck.  
They entered a large throne room, lavishly decorated in dark wood and red fabrics, but also filled with flowers and plants of all kinds of colors.   
There were two grand thrones on which sat two powerful looking people. A woman with vibrant red hair who took them in with an almost childlike curiosity. Knowing that there was perhaps a chance that she’d be executed at some point during the next conversation, Emma wondered if this was a look of innocence or wickedness.  
The man was actually how Emma always imagined Hades would look like. Confident, controlled and like he was wondering if the following conversation might be entertaining enough to be worth the effort of getting out of bed that morning.  
“Hades, Zelena, thank you for this audience,” Mary started as she and David bowed, Emma and Killian swiftly followed their example.  
“What do you want snowflake? Contrary to popular belief I don’t have all eternity,” Hades drawled.  
“Come now darling, we both know what she wants,” the woman next to him, Zelena, chided playfully in a delicate voice. “You’re looking for my dear sister are you not?”  
“Considering she’s the one who thinks our lives are something to be tossed around like white chips at a poker game, yes,” Emma whispers under her breath, too quiet to be heard by anyone else other than Killian who bit back a grin. Or she hoped that it was too quiet. Gods might have better hearing than mortals, but if they had heard her they didn’t show it.  
“Indeed. We just wish to finally put an end to this feud. May we talk to her?” David pleads humbly.  
“Oh, that would be lovey, wouldn’t it darling? I’ve grown quiet tired of her constant mood. I’d like to see my baby sister smile once again,” Zelena sighs wistfully.  
“Then call upon her. She won’t answer to my summons,” Hades huffs, clearly ticked off at that fact.  
Zelena giggled. “Don’t take it personally dear, she barely listens to anyone these days. I just have the advantage of knowing what to threaten her with. Regina my pretty! Come say hi to our visitors.”  
And just like that a woman dressed in all black arrived in front of them, glaring at Mary and David.  
“You two have some nerve coming here!” she snarls. “After what you put me trough! After denying me satisfaction yet again!” Emma and Killian can’t help but flinch at the power that vibrates trough the room when she speaks. Up until now the celestial beings they encountered had clearly been keeping their voices down, Regina was showing no restraint what so ever. Though Emma doubts she has even realized there are mortals among them yet.  
“Regina please. We want to put an end to all this fighting. We could consult…”  
Before Mary Margaret can finish her proposal Regina starts to yell again, this time in a language Emma can’t understand. Mary and Dave reply in the same language and this results in a ferocious back and fort. “Are they talking in ancient Greek?” Emma asks Killian, slightly frustrated that they are being ignored by everyone in the room. Wasn’t it their lives on the line too?  
“Yes, though I don’t understand it al. They are talking too fast and our knowledge is limited to what we could learn from written records…” Killian pauses to listen to something Mary is trying to say, when she’s once more interrupted by Regina he turns back to Emma.  
“I think our friends are suggesting to consult an oracle,” he informs her intrigued by the idea.  
“Don’t those usually give self fulfilling prophecies about the death’s of the one asking?” Emma asks skeptically.  
“Well, sometimes, but if you ask your question right he or she could tell us how to find… And this is me trying to translate based on a lot of shouting, Regina’s true happiness.”  
Emma thinks about it. “Sounds good to me… They’re not going to stop shouting soon are they?”  
Killian and Emma observe the heated discussion and the two deities that are clearly getting comfortable, like they expect this will take a long time.  
“I am so not in the mood for this,” Emma huffs as she strides forward, completely catching Killian of guard, though even if he hadn’t been stumped he would’ve known better than to stop her. Once he realizes what she’s going to do he just smirks to himself. Only his Emma…  
“Alright! That’s enough!” she calls out as she pushes past Mary and Dave and plants herself in front of Regina. The goddess takes a surprised step back, but catches herself and quickly rights herself.  
“How dare you address me in such a way mortal!” she sneers. Emma is having none of it.  
“How dare you ignore me after sentencing me and Kilian to death for being born!” she shoots back.  
Regina blinks in surprise as behind her her sister loses her composure and starts giggling in delight  
“Oh, she is a fiery one! I like her! Can we keep her when it’s her time dear?” she wonders.  
“If she continues like this that might be a lot sooner than you think,” he observes, though he sounds intrigued as well.  
“Here’s what’s going to happen. You are going to stop throwing a tantrum and start acting like a god damn adult! We are going to talk to this Oracle and look for whatever they send us after. This is going to take what? A week tops? Either it works and you are happy again, or it doesn’t and then there’s nothing lost right?”  
Silence echoes trough the throne room.  
“You know Regina,” Hades offers; “She has a point. You have everything to gain and Mary and her friends have everything to loose. A week is hardly any time at all for us. Why not give it a chance?” Hades suggests carefully.  
Regina takes Emma in for a long moment. “You have a lot of fight in you. Are you sure that wet blanket is the one who raised you?" she scoffs with a nod to Mary Margaret.  
“I was raised by myself for most of my life. You made sure of that remember?” Emma bites.  
Regina purses her lips as she continues to stare into Emma’s eyes. “Yes, I suppose you have plenty of reason to despise me don’t you?” she muses. “And still you chose to help me?”  
Emma rolls her eyes. “There’s no catch. I just want to help Mary end this whole fight. One thing she did teach me is that we can’t control what happens to us, only how we respond to it. I’ve made my peace with the way my life went. I wouldn’t change a thing.” She glances back to Killian and he smiles back at her, knowing what she means.  
“I see,” Regina muses, drawing Emma’s attention back to her. Then she looks at Emma with a devious glint in her eyes. “Alright, we shall go on this quest. All five of us, and if I haven’t found this promised happiness by the end of the week, I’ll personally make you and your precious Killian pay for your insolence. Agreed?” Emma feels the fury stream out of her. Killian too…?  
Then she feels a precense at her side and an arm around her shoulder.  
They share a look and nod at each other. Whatever happens they’ll face it together.  
They look back to the goddess, their heads held high. “Deal!”


	6. So not putting up with this

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Killian and Emma never signed up for an epic adventure. And they definitely didn't sign up for putting up with celestial temper tantrums thank you very much.

“So, we take a boat ride down the river Styx right?” Emma asks, looking between her boyfriend and their roommates.  
“Oh, gods no!” Mary exclaims with a shiver. “That would be suicide,” David nods in agreement.  
“Is there a special visitors entrance?” Killian asks hesitantly, slightly afraid of unknowingly saying something stupid on a subject he should be knowledgeable about. It’s a strange disconnect. On one hand he has much more context for the world he and Emma are about to be tossed into, on the other it has already been established that his knowledge is biased and incomplete.  
“Well… Yes, but we can’t take that one without invitation and we have no time to wait for that,” David mutters with a frown.  
“We could use the servant’s entrance? It should bring us straight to the gate,” Mary Margaret points out, glancing nervously at the mortals in the room.  
“Servant’s entrance?” Emma asks looking at Killian hoping he has a clue what that might mean.  
“Well… You’ve both been already. Many times in fact. You just never knew it was there… Granny’s,” Mary explained.  
It took a few seconds before Emma and Killian processed that. “Excuse me? Do Granny and Red… Scratch that, of course they know. So what? Granny is some sort of… I don’t know Nyad?”  
“You mean Naiad love. They guard bodies of fresh water,” Killian reminds her.  
Emma shoots him a look that says ‘not my point’ and he gives her a sheepish smile and a shrug back.  
“Killian is right. Granny and Ruby are hellhounds. Or Ruby is. Granny retired a few centuries ago.”  
“Hellhounds!?” Killian and Emma exclaim in horror. That is the last thing they would’ve guessed. Furies perhaps, considering how tough Granny was and since they’d both seen how Ruby handled admirers that didn’t take no for an answer, but Hellhounds?  
“Not all the time. When they are above ground they are human. But once they descend, they turn,” David explained.  
Mary Margaret offers Emma a comforting smile and pats her hand reassuringly.  
“Ruby has wanted to tell you the truth ever since she met you. I’d say keeping the secret from you has been almost as hard on her as on me. And Granny feels rather protective of you as well. Your bond with them is genuine,” she promises.  
Emma frowns as she processes this. “Wait, but if they work for Hades…”  
Killian’s eyes widen. “Shouldn’t they be on Regina’s side of the conflict?” he finishes worriedly.  
“Hades only asks his servants guard his domain, he does not make them get involved in his politics.”  
David sounds so matter of fact that Emma and Killian conclude this is a well proven fact and not just based on blind trust in someone else’s code of honor. David wouldn’t take a chance with their safety, that much they knew to be true.  
“Okay then… Let’s get ready for a trip to the underworld. Do I dress warm or should I bring sun cream?” Emma jokes halfheartedly.  
“Should we dress formally? We are basically visiting a king in his castle after all,” Killian frowns more seriously.  
“Dress presentable. The temperature should be pleasant for us all as we are not dead,” David advises. His friends nod and leave to get ready.  
The second the door closes Mary Margaret collapses in her chair and drops her head in her arms on the table. David slumps back as well but manages to keep himself together enough to rub his wife’s back.  
“Did we do the right thing?” Mary wonders, voice muffled by her arms. “Letting them come along?” She finally lifts her head to look at her partner, though she doesn’t sit up.  
David thinks about it for a moment. “It’s better if we keep an eye on them ourselves. Who knows who might try to approach them with falls promises of aid if we leave them behind?”  
Mary shudders at that thought. She hates that Emma and Killian have caught the interest of so many people from their world. It puts them in so much danger. She takes a deep breath and sits a bit straighter, elbows resting on the table and her hands folded in front of her as she stares contemplative at a spot on the kitchen island.  
“Do you think they realize…” Mary Margaret bites her lip and shakes her head before starting over. “I feel like it hasn’t hit them yet.”  
David nods in agreement. “It seems like it. Time will tell I suppose.”  
“But what will it take? Where we’re going… You know how these things go. Chances are that the underworld is only the first stop on a perilous journey that will leave them forever changed,” she points out.  
David nods and takes her hand in his, pressing a kiss to it. “I know. But I have faith that they can come out of this stronger. You did wonderful with Emma. She is strong and determined. And I know Killian won’t allow for himself or Emma to come to any harm.”  
Mary nods at that. “So all that’s left is convincing Regina to give up on a millennium old grudge for the sake of two mortals she’s never met,” she concludes.  
“Hey,” David places his hand to Mary Margaret’s cheek and lifts her head so he can look at her.  
“Have you given up hope now?” he asks with a teasing smile, as though the answer was obvious.  
Mary rewards him with a small smile. “Of course not. But Emma and Kilian’s lives aren’t something I want to gamble on hope alone,” she argues.  
David nods. “Neither do I. But you, my dearest, my Psyche, my Elpis, know more than anyone that hope is more than just a gamble. It’s a strength. It’s what has allowed both Emma and Killian to thrive despite every obstacle the fates threw at them,” he reminds her before getting of his stool and pulling her gently along with him so he can embrace her. “They’ll be fine darling,” he promises, though he knows that such a promise might not be in his power to keep. Still the alternative is impossible for him to consider. He can take Killian hating him, blaming him for every bit of heartbreak. He feels like he deserves it. But to lose him… No. Never that.  
They must’ve stood there for a long time because suddenly they were pulled out of their bubble by someone clearing their throat and they looked up to find their friends dressed in comfortable, yet nice clothes.  
“Do you think Hades will see us like this?” Emma wonders, a coy smile on her face.  
Mary Margaret smiles fondly at her friend. Emma was never one to let herself be easily intimidated. Not by authority figures at least. In fact other than herself those first five years, Emma had only ever really seemed to trust Graham. She wonders if the trauma of their separation had something to do with that. As soon as the thought occurs to her she shuts out the memory. It’s been almost two decades and it still hurts. Normally twenty years would seem like nothing at all, but when it comes to pain, be it physical or emotional, even living with it for a minute can feel like a lifetime.  
“He’ll see us, and you are with us at our special invitation. Dressing up is merely as a sign of respect,” She assures them.  
The two mortals nod and take each other by the hand.  
“Well, let’s go to hell,” Emma smirked.  
Mary and David apparently had a personal entrance so they were already waiting on Killian and Emma when they arrived in the bug. Emma had suggested just using whatever magical portal they were using. The very idea of that made MM and David pale in terror and Killian guessed that they’d be taking their true forms to travel and that even if that wasn’t an issue, whatever power they were using was probably not safe for Mortals to be exposed to.  
So when they entered one of the other staff members waved them in.  
“Ems! Killian hey! Granny said to send you to the back. Something about vacation plans?”  
Emma smiled awkwardly. “Right, I just wanted to make sure everything checks out,” she explains as she and Killian went around the counter, into the kitchen and out trough the back into Granny’s living room.  
There they found a very awkward Ruby and a cautious Granny waiting for them along MM and David.  
“Mrs. Lucas, Miss Lucas,” Killian greeted formally as he stepped slightly in front of Emma. He knows it's irrational, he and Ruby were close. Granny more or less adopted them both as additional grandchildren. But still, the image of demonic dogs stood too sharp in his mind. He couldn’t bring himself to act as if the past twelve hours hadn’t happened. Ruby and Granny both flinched.  
“We’re not going to hurt you now that you know Killian,” Granny stated firmly.  
Ruby’s eyes flicker between Emma and Killian nervously. After a few seconds Killian looks back to his girlfriend and a short unspoken conversation passes between them. Then Emma takes his right hand in hers and wraps her left arm around his shoulders. “We know, Rubes, we just need some more time to get used to all of this,” she explains. Ruby bites her lip in contemplation and then nods.  
“Not to be rude, but we’d like to get going. The sooner we have this whole mess behind us, the sooner we can get to a new normal,” Killian points out.  
Ruby looks at Mary Margaret and David who nod in confirmation, missing the flash of annoyance that crosses Emma and Killian’s face. Had Ruby always sought the permission of their friends before agreeing with anything they suggested? Or were these special circumstances.  
“Alright, follow me,” the waitress/hellhound instructs as she leads the way to the basement door. She lets her hand hover over the doorknob for a second before taking a deep breath and pushing trough. Emma and Killian don’t see anything special, at least not right away. They follow Ruby down, their godly roommates following right behind them. The longer they walk down however the more otherworldly their surroundings seem. First the stairs just seem to go on for an unnaturally long time. Then they realize that the walls are no longer manmade. Then the last bit of artificial lighting fades away behind them fades away and a reddish glow starts to fade in from below. And soon after Emma realizes that Ruby is no longer the perky girl she’s known for the last few years.  
Instead there is a massive grey wolf trotting down the stairs with far more ease than any real quadrupedal creature would.  
She feels her breath catch and her step falters. She had been warned, but sill, seeing it… She feels Killian’s hand squeeze her shoulder from behind her and she glances back in appreciation. She’s not alone. He’s as freaked out by this as she is.  
“So,” Killian starts as they continue down the spiraling stairs. “Are all of our friends secretly mythical creatures, or is Ruby just a lone wolf?”  
“If I wasn’t worried about falling down these stairs I’d punch you for that one,” Emma huffs as she rolls her eyes.  
“Ah, well there’s a few others from our world who’ve shown up in your lives out of curiosity, but most of your friends are mortal and clueless,” Mary explains.  
Emma and Killian consider that for a moment. Wondering who else had been keeping secrets.  
Before they can ask though they arrive in front of a pair of golden gates, their wolf friend sitting besides it expectantly, and the question on the front of their minds became, “Do we just knock or…?” No one got the chance to reply to Emma’s question. The gate opened on it’s own and revealed…  
“Mr. Gold?” Killian exclaims in disbelief. His boss is a celestial being as well? The fact that their guide seems torn between running away and going for the well dressed entrepreneur’s troath didn’t bode well.  
“Mr. Jones, Emma,” Gold smiles pleasantly with a glint in his eye neither of them trust.  
“I assume you two have been made aware of the unfortunate predicament your friends found themselves in last night?”  
Mary Margaret and David wanted to dart out in front of their friends and shield them from Gold’s trickery. But as had been the case when Killian first started working for him, they found themselves unable to interfere.  
“We are. We’re here to set some things right,” Killian nods calmly as he pulls Emma into his side.  
“How brave of you, confronting a furious goddess armed with nothing but your good looks. Then again, those haven’t failed you before have they?”  
Killian’s jaw set. “If you are referring to Milah, she was drunk and I turned her away,” he informs him stiffly. He doesn’t miss the way Gold’s eyes dart to Emma’s face. Was he hoping to reveal a dirty secret? Why?  
“Did you kill her because she tried to kiss Killian?” Emma asks shocked, proving that she knows exactly what happened that night.  
Gold purses his lips thoughtfully. “Breaking a contract with a god is not without consequences. I didn’t have to do anything. She lost my protection the moment I lost her loyalty. Her guilty conscience and fragile heart did the rest.” He spoke so calmly about the circumstances of Milah’s death it made the hairs on Killian and Emma’s necks stand on end.  
“But back to you two. I could offer you some extra protection if you want?” Gold offered his hand his face a mask of polite interest, but his eyes sparked dangerously.  
“No thank you,” Killian stated without hessitation.  
“We’re good,” Emma agreed.  
Gold’s eyes drifted to her pendant and then back to her face. “Such a strong woman you’ve become miss Swan. Your parents would have been proud.” Emma is left speechless for a moment. And a moment is all Gold needs to disappear from sight.  
“Mind telling us who exactly I’ve been working for?” Killian growls annoyed, turning the both of them to face the gods who’ve just regained their ability to move, as soon as he makes sure Emma is okay.  
“And what does he know about my parents?” Emma adds as she grabs her pendant.  
“Son of Pan, student of the fates. He’s… extremely powerful and extremely dangerous. Those with the power to speak out against him have been given serious incentive not to do so. Believe me, we would have kept you both far away from him if we’d known he’d take that much of an interest in you. And I don’t know if he knows anything about your parents Emma. You can never tell with him.”  
Emma and Killian gave David’s words a minute to sink in, it felt like that was all they’d been doing since getting back from the party last night… The party.  
“Does Neal… Milah was mortal right? Does Neal know?” Killian asks.  
Mary Margaret shudders as a memory resurfaces. “The second you befriended Neal, Gold approached us and made it very clear that Neal was not to find out anything about his true heritage before he graduated. So I suspects he’s been told recently or will be told very soon,” she explains.  
“Okay… Fine, so we can start a club once we’re back. That’ll be fun,” Emma mutters as she and Killian turn back towards the gates, determine not to lose their shit, at least not until after they’ve spoken to the pissed off goddess who’s waiting behind the door. “Now, let’s sesame open this thing and get this over with.”  
And as if on cue the gate opened and the four friends entered, David and Mary taking the lead making their charges follow a few steps behind them. Emma cast Ruby a glance in passing and, while she is by no means an expert on reading a wolf’s expression, she thought she looked as though she wished them luck.  
They entered a large throne room, lavishly decorated in dark wood and red fabrics, but also filled with flowers and plants of all kinds of colors.   
There were two grand thrones on which sat two powerful looking people. A woman with vibrant red hair who took them in with an almost childlike curiosity. Knowing that there was perhaps a chance that she’d be executed at some point during the next conversation, Emma wondered if this was a look of innocence or wickedness.  
The man was actually how Emma always imagined Hades would look like. Confident, controlled and like he was wondering if the following conversation might be entertaining enough to be worth the effort of getting out of bed that morning.  
“Hades, Zelena, thank you for this audience,” Mary started as she and David bowed, Emma and Killian swiftly followed their example.  
“What do you want snowflake? Contrary to popular belief I don’t have all eternity,” Hades drawled.  
“Come now darling, we both know what she wants,” the woman next to him, Zelena, chided playfully in a delicate voice. “You’re looking for my dear sister are you not?”  
“Considering she’s the one who thinks our lives are something to be tossed around like white chips at a poker game, yes,” Emma whispers under her breath, too quiet to be heard by anyone else other than Killian who bit back a grin. Or she hoped that it was too quiet. Gods might have better hearing than mortals, but if they had heard her they didn’t show it.  
“Indeed. We just wish to finally put an end to this feud. May we talk to her?” David pleads humbly.  
“Oh, that would be lovey, wouldn’t it darling? I’ve grown quiet tired of her constant mood. I’d like to see my baby sister smile once again,” Zelena sighs wistfully.  
“Then call upon her. She won’t answer to my summons,” Hades huffs, clearly ticked off at that fact.  
Zelena giggled. “Don’t take it personally dear, she barely listens to anyone these days. I just have the advantage of knowing what to threaten her with. Regina my pretty! Come say hi to our visitors.”  
And just like that a woman dressed in all black arrived in front of them, glaring at Mary and David.  
“You two have some nerve coming here!” she snarls. “After what you put me trough! After denying me satisfaction yet again!” Emma and Killian can’t help but flinch at the power that vibrates trough the room when she speaks. Up until now the celestial beings they encountered had clearly been keeping their voices down, Regina was showing no restraint what so ever. Though Emma doubts she has even realized there are mortals among them yet.  
“Regina please. We want to put an end to all this fighting. We could consult…”  
Before Mary Margaret can finish her proposal Regina starts to yell again, this time in a language Emma can’t understand. Mary and Dave reply in the same language and this results in a ferocious back and fort. “Are they talking in ancient Greek?” Emma asks Killian, slightly frustrated that they are being ignored by everyone in the room. Wasn’t it their lives on the line too?  
“Yes, though I don’t understand it al. They are talking too fast and our knowledge is limited to what we could learn from written records…” Killian pauses to listen to something Mary is trying to say, when she’s once more interrupted by Regina he turns back to Emma.  
“I think our friends are suggesting to consult an oracle,” he informs her intrigued by the idea.  
“Don’t those usually give self fulfilling prophecies about the death’s of the one asking?” Emma asks skeptically.  
“Well, sometimes, but if you ask your question right he or she could tell us how to find… And this is me trying to translate based on a lot of shouting, Regina’s true happiness.”  
Emma thinks about it. “Sounds good to me… They’re not going to stop shouting soon are they?”  
Killian and Emma observe the heated discussion and the two deities that are clearly getting comfortable, like they expect this will take a long time.  
“I am so not in the mood for this,” Emma huffs as she strides forward, completely catching Killian of guard, though even if he hadn’t been stumped he would’ve known better than to stop her. Once he realizes what she’s going to do he just smirks to himself. Only his Emma…  
“Alright! That’s enough!” she calls out as she pushes past Mary and Dave and plants herself in front of Regina. The goddess takes a surprised step back, but catches herself and quickly rights herself.  
“How dare you address me in such a way mortal!” she sneers. Emma is having none of it.  
“How dare you ignore me after sentencing me and Kilian to death for being born!” she shoots back.  
Regina blinks in surprise as behind her her sister loses her composure and starts giggling in delight  
“Oh, she is a fiery one! I like her! Can we keep her when it’s her time dear?” she wonders.  
“If she continues like this that might be a lot sooner than you think,” he observes, though he sounds intrigued as well.  
“Here’s what’s going to happen. You are going to stop throwing a tantrum and start acting like a god damn adult! We are going to talk to this Oracle and look for whatever they send us after. This is going to take what? A week tops? Either it works and you are happy again, or it doesn’t and then there’s nothing lost right?”  
Silence echoes trough the throne room.  
“You know Regina,” Hades offers; “She has a point. You have everything to gain and Mary and her friends have everything to loose. A week is hardly any time at all for us. Why not give it a chance?” Hades suggests carefully.  
Regina takes Emma in for a long moment. “You have a lot of fight in you. Are you sure that wet blanket is the one who raised you?" she scoffs with a nod to Mary Margaret.  
“I was raised by myself for most of my life. You made sure of that remember?” Emma bites.  
Regina purses her lips as she continues to stare into Emma’s eyes. “Yes, I suppose you have plenty of reason to despise me don’t you?” she muses. “And still you chose to help me?”  
Emma rolls her eyes. “There’s no catch. I just want to help Mary end this whole fight. One thing she did teach me is that we can’t control what happens to us, only how we respond to it. I’ve made my peace with the way my life went. I wouldn’t change a thing.” She glances back to Killian and he smiles back at her, knowing what she means.  
“I see,” Regina muses, drawing Emma’s attention back to her. Then she looks at Emma with a devious glint in her eyes. “Alright, we shall go on this quest. All five 3of us, and if I haven’t found this promised happiness by the end of the week, I’ll personally make you and your precious Killian pay for your insolence. Agreed?” Emma feels the fury stream out of her. Killian too…?  
Then she feels a precense at her side and an arm around her shoulder.  
They share a look and nod at each other. Whatever happens they’ll face it together.  
They look back to the goddess, their heads held high. “Deal!”


	7. The market

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obligatory outfit change! What epic adventure is complete without one! Every good adventurer should start their journey in the right atire and with propper equipment after all.

“So where do we find this oracle person?” Emma asks.  
“You don’t think you’ll meet the oracle looking like that do you child?” Regina scoffs.  
Before Emma can bite back a witty retort she feels a hand on her shoulder. She looks back and finds Mary Margaret smiling at her patiently. Like a mother about to remind her child she can’t go out in the snow without a shawl or gloves. Still so freaking weird that her ‘mom friend’, is her mom/friend.  
It kind of made her want to scream and cry and hug Mary Margaret at the same time.  
“What Regina means is that you aren’t dressed for a quest,” Mary offers.  
Emma looks down at her clothes. They have a point. These shoes were barely sturdy enough to make the journey down to the underworld, never mind whatever it would take to get to the Oracle.  
“Oh, well… I have some running shoes and…”  
David joined them shaking his head with a fond smile. “You’ll need something a little more durable for a quest. There might be… monsters and other challenges along the way.”  
David elegantly waved his hand and just like that he and Mary were dressed like real modern Greek heroes. Seriously. With the laurel wreath, gold plated armor, white tunic and weapons that came with it.  
Emma groaned. “Of course.” What was an epic fantasy adventure without a makeover after all?  
“Well, isn’t that just typical? My armor is just at the dry cleaner,” Killian scoffed sarcastically, earning chuckles from their friends and the king and queen of the underworld. Emma could hear an impatient foot tapping behind her and assumed Regina was just rolling her eyes. She seemed like the type.  
“Don’t worry Killian. We can make a quick stop for a change of clothes for you and Emma, as well as any other supplies we might need,” MM assured them.  
The two mortals exchanged a look and drew strength from their mutual helplessness. For now they were mostly leaves in the wind. No matter how hard they tried to take charge, they were way out of their element and would have to rely on those with more experience in this world. They were the fragile mortals way in over their head, but it was way too late to turn back now.  
“Lead the way,” Emma relents with a gesture to the door they’d come through.  
Ruby was clearly surprised to see them walk out so soon and with a party member extra.  
“We’re headed to the market Ruby,” Mary informs her friend. The wolf nods dutifully and leads them trough a hallway and then halts at a different flight of stairs.  
Regina takes the lead this time, followed by a guarded Ruby, who is followed by Mary and Dave as Emma and Killian close the line. They let themselves fall behind, just a little, to speak in private.  
“Neal is a demi Killian,” Emma whispers to him urgently as that bit of information just occurred to her. With everything else, she would’ve almost forgotten that. What did that even mean? They’d seen Neal do perfectly ordinary mortal things like cursing the heavens as he stubbed his toe, or getting tipsy from drinking a beer too fast.  
“Aye,” Killian replies lost in thought. Emma quickly picks up on what troubles him.  
“Milah wasn’t your fault Killian,” she states firmly. “You did your job and you were polite. There’s nothing you could’ve or should’ve done differently.”  
Killian looks back at her with a small, appreciative smile.  
“You’re probably right. Still, my gut was right…” he stops that train of thought abruptly, not wanting to speak badly of Graham, but Emma has his back.  
“I hate that everyone has been lying to us to keep this stupid secret,” she says in agreement with his unspoken statement. “My head gets it, but…”  
“It still feels wrong,” Killian nods, glaring towards the figures ahead of them who have been lying to them their entire lives. He is pulled out of his inner war of emotions by a hand slipping into his. He looks back and smiles at Emma’s steady gaze. The one good thing he got out of this mess…  
Well, he also appreciated the bond he’d shared with each version of David and the friendship he’d built with Mary Margaret. But right now he was in the mood to be a little mad at them.  
“I hate that you’re upset, but I’m glad you’re in this with me,” Emma tells him a little timidly.  
Killian pauses his step to fully turn to her. He steps down, now only one step away form were she came to a stop. He strokes her hair out of her face with his free hand and then uses his hold on her jaw to angle her face so he can lean down and kiss her. It’s brief and light because they can’t afford to stay still for long or they’d lose the others. They couldn’t exactly get lost, the only way was up, but he would feel better if he could keep an eye on the others.  
“I’d follow you to the end of the world, or time,” he vows. Emma caves under his gaze and maneuvers past him, hoping to hide her blush, because she just can’t deal with her insanely romantic boyfriend right now. She doesn’t let go of his hand the rest of the way though.  
The stairs end in what Killian deduces to be a cave, he can see a light shining in the distance and the chatter of a crowd is carried towards them, echoing against the walls.  
Ruby sits down and paws at Mary’s boot, earning herself a gentle caress over her head.  
“Thank you for your help. We’ll visit as soon as we can,” she vows.  
David offers Ruby a small ow and a pat on her shoulders. Emma and Killian just give her an awkward wave, trying not to think about how worried she looks.  
When they finally come to the exit Emma and Killian are momentarily blinded by the sudden burst of sunlight and in reflex they shield their face, blinking rapidly. Slowly the scenery in front of them comes into focus.  
It’s a market alright, and the biggest one either of them has ever seen.  
They can smell exotic spices and leather and cattle. There are vibrant colors and shimmering metals everywhere. At first glance, it probably looks and smells and sounds like a normal, traditional market.  
But when you really listen you hear something roaring in the distance. If you look you don’t only notice the strange fashion sense of the people but also some anomalies in their features. Some subtle like nymphs who’s hair seems to flow like water. Others not, like the satyr they see dancing past them.  
And despite how odd it all seems to them, once they start taking it in, Emma and Killian can’t help but feel how much they stand out in contrast.  
“Come on! Let’s go get you changed!” Mary Margaret giggles excitedly as she pulls Emma into the crowd, David chuckling and guiding Killian to pursue them.  
Regina just sighs and follows after them.  
“I think that’s everything,” David muses as he hands Killian the belt that holds his blade, a Kopis, and takes a step back to study the end result.  
“This is a lot more comfortable than I expected it to be,” Killian admitted as he rolled his shoulders to get a feel of the leather garment protecting his chest before he put on the belt and took a look at himself.  
He didn’t look half bad. He liked the elegant details and the simple ensemble.  
“Well, you have to be able to move when on a quest,” David smiles gently. “It looks good on you,” he adds with barely concealed pride.  
Killian, realizing that David might have some fatherly feelings towards him he’d never associated with his best mate before, tries to lighten the mood by winking back at him through the mirror.  
“Of course I do. I’m nothing if not devilishly handsome,” he teases.  
“If you’re done ogling yourself, can we leave?”  
Regina’s voice snaps them out of their brief moment of relaxed banter. For a minute there, Killian had forgotten about threats against his life and lifelong secrets.  
He turns around to bite back at her, Emma wasn’t the only one of them who was already done with this woman’s antics. But then he sees that Regina had not returned to them alone. Mary is with her, along with…  
“Swan,” he breaths in disbelief as he takes in the vision of beauty that is his girlfriend.  
Emma looks positively radiant in the clothes Mary Margaret got her.  
The leather reinforcements around her waist adding to it’s elegance instead of detracting from it. The gold accents give her something regal. She looks like a queen.  
In a few quick steps he is in front of her and takes her hand to place a gentle kiss upon it.  
“Aphrodite must have blessed me, for such a vision of beauty is nothing short of a miracle.”  
Emma giggles and shoves at his chest playfully. “Stop it. That sort of talk can get us cursed,” she warns warmly.  
“I did not compare you to her in any way. It would be foolish to do so since I have yet to see her for myself. And even if I had, comparing one woman’s beauty to another’s is ludicrous. Especially for a man who’s heart belongs to one already. I’m forever biased in your favor.”  
Emma snorts at that. “Alright, that’s enough, before Apollo falls in love with you and you turn into a willow or something.”  
Killian chuckles. “The poor guy really couldn’t catch a break,” he sighed. Hoping that the myth’s had that part exaggerated. For the god’s sake.  
Then he looks back at the two deities who he just remembered would know. “Could he?” he asks.  
David sighs sadly and Mary shakes her head. “No one was permanently turned into any plants, but he had his heart broken a lot I’m afraid,” she tells them.  
“Poor guy,” Emma sighs.  
“Yes, truly tragic. Now can we get a move on? We still need to get transport and provisions for your pets Snow!” Regina huffs as she marched on, followed closely by Mary and Dave who seem to be about out of patience.  
“I’m not a pet!” Emma calls after her angrily ready to storm after the goddess and give her a piece of her mind.  
“Luv! Hold on your necklace!”  
Killian warns. Her pendant had been put on a new leather band that had evidently not been tied well as he can see it has come loose and was about to fall off. He steps up behind her and helps her gather her hair so he can properly tie the string for her.  
But just as he is about to pick up the ends, it slips from his fingers and Emma’s body moves through the crowd after the fiend who’d taken her most precious possession.  
Killian followed after her. Calling out warnings to the thief.  
Regina hears the commotion, of course she does. But it doesn’t occur to her for even a moment that she should see what was headed their way.   
She is a goddess. Highest in rank out of anyone here. Anyone with half a brain should know not to bother her.  
So even when she heard Snow call out in warning she did not look up. Some might say she deserved to be pushed to the side by a careless pickpocket, who as she would learn later was running from the mortals who’d dared to talk back to her.  
It’s too late for her however. She is falling down, heading for a greasy puddle and risking getting trampled and possibly overrun by the oncoming carriage. It wouldn’t kill her, but it would be unpleasant.  
Except, none of that happens. As she close her eyes and braces for impact as best as she can she is suddenly pulled back and embraced against a warm, firm chest.  
She blinks and looks up into a handsome face. Oh, you’ve got to be kidding her.  
“You alright milady?” The gentle accented voice implores concerned and really she has no rational reason for being so infuriated with him. He just saved her. But she feels embarrassed.  
“I will be when you unhand me,” she huffed. The man just chuckled and did as he was told.  
“As the lady wishes,” he says, taking a step back and bowing with a flourish. “Now if you will excuse me, I have a rogue friend to apprehend,” and before Regina can really register what is happening the man makes his way up the roof of one of the stands and parkours his way in the direction the thief and the mortals just disappeared to.  
Leaving Regina feeling of balance. She doesn’t like feeling of balance. For centuries she’s maintained a perfect composure and here she was constantly blindsided by mortals! It was infuriating.  
“Regina! Come on!”  
Her head snaps up and she sees Snow and her Charming dash through the crowd waving for her to follow them as they quickly disappear out of sight to catch up with their precious mortals.  
Regina is absolutely seething as she storms after them. Why did she agree to this? She should’ve put that infuriatingly spunky blond and her cheeky captain in their place back in the underworld.  
Who cares about remarkable bravery, and refreshing wit?  
She put of the thought. She’d find a way to crush Snow’s heart on this trip. One way or another, she’d find satisfaction. Her sister was right, she couldn’t lose even if the trip to the oracle was a waste. The brat might take a tumble down the mountain on the way back.  
She promptly ignored a small twitch in her stomach at that thought. She will not feel bad for this girl and her lover. Even if there is something tooth achingly sweet about how they are together… Like her and Daniel once…  
Before she can find any more vague similarities between herself and Snow’s chosen daughter she finaly catches up to the group only to find the man who’d pulled her back holding the theif in a vice grip.  
“Give back the jewelry Will,” the man commanded with a fond grin.  
“I was gonna!” the thief, Will, exclaimed. “Believe it oh not but I was trying to help!” he huffed as he stumbled forward when the man suddenly let him go.  
“Here. Just wanted to show of my skills,” Will mumbles as he hands the girl, Emma, the pendant she’d insisted on keeping as part of the ensemble.  
Not that Regina would ever knock the benefits of good accessory’s but she’d pegged the girl as rather practical. Which means the pendant must have some sort of personal value for her.  
“Skills?” The boy, Killian, huffs, clearly not pleased with the attempted theft.  
“You lot going on a quest ight? We happen to be in the maket foh a quest too.”  
The man’s eyes widen at that. “Will? Seriously? Why didn’t you just say so?” he sighs, exasperated but also fond.  
“Well, I just did, didn’t I?” Will grins.  
“Rob? Will? Why am I not surprised. When there is trouble you two aren’t far behind,” a light voice giggled as a nymph appeared from the crowd.  
“Tink!?” Killian exclaims dumbfounded. The nymph flinches as she realizes who else was here.  
Ah, one of the curious creatures who had befriended the mortals assigned to the lovers.  
“Oh… Hey Killian…”  
The boy’s attention is already with his guardian though. “I thought no one else messed with my life?” he objected. “She was my bloody first kiss! How is that not messing with my life!?”  
Emma’s eyes widen, making the exchange just a bit more promising for Regina. Oh… Drama. Maybe this little diversion would be entertaining after all.  
“I didn’t mean to. I was just curious and we got talking and drinking and I’m always horrible with wine… I’m really sorry,” Tink pleaded with a pout.  
“Bloody…” Killian sighs as he pinches the bridge of his nose, while everyone else around him is either watching the exchange awkwardly, eagerly or, in Emma’s case, slightly put off.  
“Emma, this is Tink, a girl I knew back in high school around the time I met Dave. We snuck some drinks we were, or I was, too young for at a party one night and ended up practicing on each other.”  
At that Emma snorts. No doubt having fun imagining her smooth talking bad boy drunkenly ask a girl who turns out to be a nymph to be his first kiss so he can be good at it when it matters or something cheesy like that.  
“Hi. And these two gentlemen are Robin of Locksley and Will Scarlet. They are a little rough around the edges but reliable and fun to be around, I can vouch for that much,” the nymph offers awkwardly.  
“If they are not I’ll hold you responsible,” Regina warns. Wanting the conversation to move along already.  
Will looks up at that with a pleased smirk. “You mean we got the job?”  
The man, Robin seems hopeful as he awaits her response.  
“Well, it’s always good to have more allies. You have my vow that if we are successful and return home with everyone safe, you both will be handsomely rewarded,” David declares importantly.  
“Thank you! We will not let you down!” Robin vows shaking the god’s hand. So forward. Mortals have lost all respect for divinity.  
“Can we go now?” Regina groans reminding everyone that they have better things to do, again.  
“Ice queen is right. We better get a move on. The sooner we get to the oracle the sooner we can plan for whatever it is we’re supposed to do,” Emma agrees.  
Well… At least someone has some sense around here.


End file.
